The Coldwater Heritage Partnership (CHP) is a collaborative effort between the PA Fish & Boat Commission, PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Western Pennsylvania Watershed Protection Program and Pennsylvania Trout.

The purpose of the Coldwater Heritage Partnership (CHP) is to provide leadership, coordination, technical assistance, and funding support for the evaluation, conservation and protection of Pennsylvania's coldwater streams.

While Pennsylvania has over 83,000 miles of streams, only 25% are considered high-quality coldwater fisheries. Of that, less than 2% are designated as highly productive waters that contain naturally reproducing wild trout. The CHP's primary focus is to foster protection and improvement of these streams and their watersheds.

• Foster a greater public understanding of watershed characteristics and how they affect coldwater ecosystems;
• Identify special areas of concern, such as areas with exceptional water quality with high potential for impacts;
• Produce conservation plans that will lead to additional planning or implementation of projects that protect and enhance our coldwater ecosystems; and
• Provide technical assistance and financial opportunities to organizations dedicated to protecting coldwater ecosystems.

Coldwater Heritage Partnership Announces 2012 Grant Awards

The Coldwater Heritage Partnership recently announced that over $58,000 in grants have been awarded to local organizations to protect and conserve Pennsylvania’s coldwater streams.  The Coldwater Heritage Partnership is a cooperative initiative amongst Pennsylvania Trout Unlimited, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, and the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds.    

This year the Coldwater Heritage Partnership awarded both planning and implementation grants. Organizations funded by a planning grant will be responsible for creating a Coldwater Conservation plan that:

• Gathers existing data about the coldwater ecosystem;
• Identifies potential impacts, threats, problems and opportunities to our coldwater streams;
• Formulates a plan of action for proposed conservation and protection strategies; and,
• Builds community awareness and support for the conservation of our coldwater streams.

Organizations that received an implementation grant will complete projects identified in previously completed coldwater conservation plans. Potential projects must enhance, conserve, or protect coldwater streams for which the original coldwater conservation plan recommended.

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