A visionary and leader
Itâs rare that one person could have the influence and make the community contributions that Charlie Forster had and made.
Over 35 years in the county, his efforts included:
⢠Establishing Salida Enterprise for Economic Development when he first moved here in 1985;
⢠Leading the 1986 effort to purchase the Salida SteamPlant, persuading 40 business leaders to commit to $1,000 over 10 years;
⢠Assisting with the development of the Coors Boat Ramp at the site of the D&RG bridge;
⢠Assisting with the relocation of the county fair to Poncha Springs and rebranding the fair as the âNew Olde-Fashioned Chaffee County Fair;â
The driving mission behind decades of work by Trout Unlimited is to conserve, protect and restore Americaâs cold-water fisheries and their watersheds.
In Colorado, CTUâs efforts have focused on collaborative approaches to restore native cutthroat trout, mitigate impacts of abandoned mines, enhance access to public lands, and engage diverse communities in fishing and conservation.
Founded in 1985, the Collegiate Peaks Chapter of Trout Unlimited has worked tirelessly to bring TUâs mission to life here in the Upper Arkansas Valley.
Over the years, the Chapter has worked closely with national and state TU staff to improve the quality of fishing along the Stateâs longest stretch of Gold Medal water in the Arkansas River, as well as develop local partnerships to clean up abandoned mines, get local youth on the river, and support local veterans.