Thames Valley Trout Unlimited
Bulletin
Supporting Native Brook Trout
A little over a month ago, I was contacted by a UConn PhD student who is mentoring a North Stonington High School student participating in UConn’s Natural Resources Conservation Academy (NRCA). As part of the program, they’ve been working closely with DEEP on wild brook trout research—electro‑shocking surveys, data collection, and analysis of both historical and current trout populations.
Before long, I had the chance to speak with the student, Nolan Varas, by phone. Nolan is an avid angler—both fly and spin—and he has a genuine passion for wild brook trout. That passion is what led him to the NRCA program, and listening to him talk about his experiences, his conservation interests, and his commitment to protecting native trout was both fascinating and inspiring. I couldn’t help thinking: this is exactly the kind of young conservationist we hope to see in TU—someone who represents the future of our mission and the continuation of our vision.
And then came the surprise. Nolan has launched a fundraiser selling T‑shirts featuring a trout logo promoting the protection of native trout. He and his mentor reached out because he wanted to donate all profits from the fundraiser to Thames Valley TU. The fundraiser is already live and has already raised over $200 for the chapter.
Below is the link to Nolan’s fundraiser. Even if you don’t purchase a T‑shirt (though I encourage you to consider it), take a moment to read his story—it’s well worth it.
Protect Native Trout | Help a high school student support trout! | Bonfire
For those interested in learning more about the program that helped shape his project, here’s information on the NRCA:
Conservation Ambassador Program | Natural Resources Conservation Academy (NRCA) | UConn
Nolan is also interested in speaking to the chapter and presenting his project at a membership meeting. While our speaker schedule is already full for the year—and Nolan has a conflict with Tuesday evenings—we’re working on finding a way to make it happen.
Check out the links. Support Nolan and his project - and native brook trout!