HARRISBURG (Jan. 2) -- Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary John C.
Oliver today announced that grants to help protect and
conserve Pennsylvania?s coldwater stream habitats
now are available through the Coldwater Heritage
Partnership?s Coldwater Conservation Grants Program.
 The Coldwater Heritage Partnership (CHP) is a
cooperative effort of DCNR, the Pennsylvania Fish and
Boat Commission (PFBC), and the Pennsylvania
Council of Trout Unlimited (PATU).

Applications for the grants up to $5,000 will be
accepted through Monday, March 3.  The sponsoring
Coldwater Heritage Partnership (CHP) urges watershed
groups, conservation districts, municipalities and local
chapters of Trout Unlimited to apply.

?This partnership approaches conservation from the
grassroots level up to get the desired results,?
Secretary Oliver said.  ?The grants aid development of
Coldwater Conservation Plans that are useful in
building local awareness and support for long-term
stewardship of coldwater streams and their surrounding
watersheds.

?These evaluations often will lead to more detailed
watershed studies or projects that may include river
conservation plans through DCNR, or a stream bank
fencing project through the Adopt-A-Stream program.?

The grants are designed to help develop preliminary
assessments to identify the values and threats to the
health of coldwater ecosystems.  This information can
be used as a catalyst for more comprehensive planning
or for development of watershed improvements projects.
?Pennsylvania is home to 83,000 miles of rivers and
streams, each an important aquatic resource that
should be conserved,? Pennsylvania Fish and Boat
Commission Executive Director Peter A. Colangelo said.
 ?The CHP program focuses on protecting some of the
finest jewels among Pennsylvania?s many precious
waters, the Commonwealth?s highly productive,
naturally reproducing trout streams.?    

Pennsylvania Trout Unlimited President George Mellinger
said the Coldwater Heritage Partnership was formed to
provide leadership, coordination, technical assistance and
funding support for the evaluation, conservation and
protection of Pennsylvania?s coldwater streams.

?The Coldwater Conservation Grants are one way to make
that happen,? Mellinger said.  ?The partnership will award
grants of up to $5,000 to organizations to outline
strategies that best conserve and protect coldwater
fisheries.?

Besides offering grants, CHP works to: foster greater
public understanding of watershed characteristics and how
they affect coldwater ecosystems; identify special areas of

concern, such as areas with exceptional water quality and
high potential for impacts; and provide technical
assistance and financial opportunities to organizations
dedicated to protecting our coldwater ecosystems.

All three partnering organizations have contributed funds
for the effort.  Financial support also was received from
the Western Pennsylvania Watershed Program.

For more information on applying for a grant, contact
PATU Coldwater Resource Specialist Deborah Nardone at
(814) 359-5233, or visit the PATU website

COMMISSION READIES FOR LATE WINTER TROUT
STOCKING

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will stock
more than 60,000 trout as part of its Late Winter Adult
Trout Stocking Program, delivering fish to 49 waters
across 32 different counties.

The stockings will begin the week of January 6, 2003 and
continue through the month of February. A total of 45,240
rainbow trout account for the majority of fish to be
stocked.  In addition, 10,350 brown trout and 4,710 brook
trout will be included in the stockings.

All fish harvested from the affected waters are subject to
Extended Trout Season rules. Trout must be a minimum
of seven inches in length and no more than three per day
may be taken. Anglers 16 years of age or older who wish
to fish for trout must display on an outside garment both a
valid fishing license and Trout/Salmon stamp attached to
their license. The 2003 Pennsylvania Fishing Licenses
and Trout/Salmon Stamps are now available at more than
1,600 issuing agents statewide and via the  "Outdoor
Shop? on the Commission?s web site.

Waters included in the program are also open for an
additional month of trout fishing. Trout angling is
permitted in March on these waters while most other
trout-stocked waters close to fishing at the end of
February in preparation for the traditional Opening Day of
the season.