Come to the in-person meeting 7:30-9:30pm, Thursday, November 10 at the American Legion Hall, 13 Legion Place, Whippany to hear Brian Cowden talk about his latest projects in our area. Brian is a principal with Trout Scapes River Restoration, LLC. You can see some of their work accomplishments at: https://www.troutscapes.com/ or on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Trout-Scapes-River-Restoration-LLC-951066465007032. He has worked on a number of local projects including Shannon's Private Waters, Point Mountain and other areas on the Musconetcong River, and Lopatcong Creek. We are currently in the planning stages of a stream restoration in Mendham Township on the North Branch of the Raritan River.
Brian Cowden has a degree in Political Science from Ithaca College in upstate NY. His love of fishing and hunting led him to learn about conservation issues and habitat restoration through both his volunteer and staff work with the leading coldwater conservation organization, Trout Unlimited, as well as attending various workshops and learning from his extensive networking connections. He has been awarded several times for his work in conservation including the President’s Coastal America Award along with partners in the Lower Musconetcong River Restoration Partnership for restoration of anadromous fish passage and habitat through obsolete dam removals and channel restoration as well as the Conservationist of the Year (George P. Howard Award) by the New Jersey Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs and a National Youth Education Leadership Award from Trout Unlimited for his work with Trout In the Classroom in New Jersey, starting the program and growing it to over 100 schools statewide.
Brian worked at Trout Unlimited where he was on Eastern Conservation Staff for seven years as the Musconetcong Home Rivers Initiative Coordinator, working to restore and protect a major Wild & Scenic tributary to the Delaware River. That work included restoring degraded river channels and banks on the mainstem and tributaries, removing obsolete dams, and working on critical lands protection for the “Musky” River in northwestern New Jersey.