By Scott YatesDirector, Trout Unlimited Western Water Project
Kim Trotter, the Idaho Director for Trout Unlimited’s Western Water Project, recently announced she has taken the position of Executive Director at the Community Foundation of Teton Valley, an affiliate foundation of the Community Foundation of Jackson Hole.
It’s never easy when a long-time member of the TU family decides to move on, and that is certainly true for Kim. She has expanded our coldwater conservation work, and been a big part of raising our organizational profile in one of our most important trout, salmon, and steelhead states.
Since taking over as Director of the TU Idaho Water Project in 2005, Kim’s work both on-the-ground and overseeing staff and consultant work in places like the Big Lost and Little Lost rivers has been phenomenal. Trout Unlimited has established solid partnerships with ranchers and farmers in those two quiet but important trout drainages, and it has been instrumental in expanding our Idaho capacity via private, state, and federal project dollars.
I still remember the group of stakeholders – all project partners – she put together for a
media day to celebrate TU, rancher, and resource agency success in the Little Lost River. Senator
Crapo attended and was open about his admiration for Kim and the broader group and the fact that the such success was achieved in a drainage with ESA-listed bull trout. She’s also overseen efforts to ensure that future management discussions about the Henry’s Fork River – including potentially re-building Teton Dam – occur with wild and native fisheries in mind. No easy task in light of the historical insular tendencies of the southeast Idaho irrigation community.
Kim has also had an impeccable record in terms of hiring staff – she’s managed to put together a diverse and energetic team – I know Peter, Jerry, Sue, and Chad thoroughly enjoyed working with Kim and appreciated her attention to detail and support. With Peter’s trained legal and policy eye, Jerry busting heads in the Salmon and Chad kicking things off in the Portneuf and Wood, and Sue helping the trains stay on time, Kim has really set the table for future water work in Idaho. She’s already been tremendously gracious in thinking about her near-term future and helping with the Idaho Water Project transition before starting up full time with the Foundation.
As a fisherman, I want to thank Kim for her work to provide a better future for epic trout rivers like the Henry’s Fork, Teton, Wood, and Boise. As a friend and colleague I want to wish her the best of luck as she tackles new challenges a little closer to home, family, and friends. Please join me in thanking Kim for her important work and tenure at TU, and wishing her the best of luck in the future.
