The Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture (EBTJV) is now accepting pre-applications for FY27 brook trout habitat conservation and restoration projects.

Awards of up to $50,000 are available for on-the-ground projects that conserve, reconnect, and restore habitat to support fishable populations of wild brook trout across their native eastern range.

Important changes for FY27: 

• NFHP has shortened the timeline from application to awarding. We can now request applications much closer to when awards would be made (summer 2027).
• EBTJV is using a new, two-stage application process. Applicants must first submit a pre-application and initiate required coordination with their EBTJV state or federal point of contact by July 15, 2026. Up to five applicants will then be invited to submit full proposals.

Because available funding is expected to be limited this year, EBTJV anticipates supporting 1–2 projects.

Eligible projects may include aquatic connectivity restoration, riparian planting, woody material additions, non-native species management, brook trout restoration, and watershed practices that reduce sediment and nutrient pollution.

Full program details, key dates, application materials, and state and federal points of contact are available at: https://easternbrooktrout.org/projects/funding/2027-funding-application-information/fy27-program-information

After four years as Chairman and over a decade of leadership on our Steering Committee, Jacob Rash is transitioning into a new role as the Southern Appalachian Program Director for Trout Unlimited. We look forward to continuing to work with Jake in his new role.

We sat down with Jake to reflect on his tenure, his conservation philosophy—centered on the three pillars of "fish, habitat, and people"—and his ongoing vision for brook trout recovery.

We also extend a warm welcome to Lee Simard (Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department), who has been elected as our new Steering Committee Chair. Lee most recently served as EBTJV Vice-Chairman.

Click the read more button for the article. (And if you're also interested in the full interview, drop a note in our newsletter feedback form and we'll consider printing more of the Q&A with Jake).

EBTJV's Coordinator recently had the opportunity to preview Salter: The Improbable Return of the Magical Sea-Run Brook Trout to the Little Rivers of Cape Cod, a new book by Thomas R. Pero that chronicles the history, restoration, and ongoing stewardship of Cape Cod's coastal streams.



Salter documents decades of habitat restoration and aquatic connectivity work in Cape Cod's coastal streams and the sea-run brook trout, or "salters," that depend on them. Through stories, interviews, and historical research, Pero explores efforts ranging from dam removals to cranberry bog restoration while also highlighting the partnerships and restoration programs that have contributed to these efforts.

Readers are introduced to the natural history of Cape Cod's coastal streams and wetlands, the connections between brook trout and other migratory species, and both the historical and ongoing challenges facing these ecosystems.

The book is richly illustrated with full-color photographs, historic maps, and drawings. It also highlights the many biologists, volunteers, and local champions whose work has shaped conservation outcomes over decades.

While Cape Cod's coastal systems are unique, many of the themes explored in Salter will resonate beyond brook trout conservation, particularly for those interested in habitat restoration, coastal ecosystems, and the ways people have shaped (and continue to shape) our landscapes.