The River Restored
Tuesday, August 7, 2012 at 12:03AM The River Restored from Cinema Digital Productions on Vimeo.
From our brother from another mother.
As part of Spring Creek: Ranchers, Anglers, Water and Trout, I recently spent two weeks in Colorado profiling Shannon Skelton. Shannon is the President and CEO of CFI Global Fisheries Management, a comprehensive fisheries management company based out of Fort Collins, Colorado. CFI specializes in stream restoration and does a lot of spring creek enhancement and restoration. Shannon and CFI were breaking ground on spring creek restoration project outside of Gunnison. They invited me along to see how the project starts and next year I’ll go back and see how the project has developed. The idea is to witness first hand the difference the restoration efforts have made to the fishery. While in Colorado, CFI contracted my company Cinema Digital Productions to produce a short corporate film for them and show what CFI is all about. We were fortunate enough to shoot on Ryan Wood’s Sweetwood Ranch and Jerry Allen’s Fish On Ranch as well as the Round Mountain Ranch with Brian Smith from Hall and Hall Partners. There are a few shots of the spring creek project from outside of Gunnison, however the majority of that footage will be featured in Spring Creek: Ranchers, Anglers, Water and Trout. These small corporate films are how I fund my larger Spring Creek documentary. Sponsors help but they don’t provide ANY cash and trust me you need a shitload of cake to fund a 3 to 4 year film project like Spring Creek. I’ve been holding out on KICKSTARTER and will continue to try and do so for as long as I can. Thanks again to every one involved.
More Later
T>
Reader Comments (30)
Any public access on these rehabed reaches of water?
Nice film. Congrats to Shannon Skelton and CFI Global.
Sweet, rehabing stretches of river that most of us will never fish or see for that matter....ur such a hero, Shannon!! No, i appreciate the rehab, but can't help to wonder why you didn't just join TU as opposed to making a career out of it. TU is a not for profit and is WAY more in touch with the rivers true best friend....the common angler. Sounds like most of these property owners are in it for the increase in value and have already proven over the years that they care very little about the fish or the watersheds. The common angler on the other hand cares very much!!
Great, some more private water for the millionaire rich boys club.... This documentary is such a waste of skills. Oh, and your audio on the interviews was not in sync.
That was a very cool video right up until the very end where they release a stocked rainbow that has white fungus growing all over it and it is barely breathing! If that's what the fish look like after the restoration I'd say those rich landowners are taking a bath! Just saying!
You took the words out of my mouth Hungus. None of us will ever see that water. Do you really think that these millionaires would put money forward for restoration projects if they were only guaranteed better stream ecology and not monster pellet fed rainbows? No. Then I have to ask myself what the first thing I would do if I had millions of dollars. Answer is buy a big ranch in Colorado with trophy trout water running through it then enhance it so I could catch monster trout. As a fish biologist though I would not only have large fish in mind but stream ecology.
Jimbob and Hungus its so cool that you guys are haters. I guess the world needs haters. Think if you had a film how would you feel for jealous people to comment on your accomplishments
While any stream restoration is a cool thing this " rich man mine not yours " shit sucks balls. There goes me buying anymore of that dudes tshirts. This whole film was a hero worship of the self. I give it a 3 thumbs down.
I like this piece, did you use a drone for the aerial shotz?
Private water isn't going away. I think these projects serve as good examples of how river restorations can be accomplished on public waters though. Things like this can be proven in the private sector and hopefully implemented for the rest of us on public waters.
Funny how they didn't mention how CFI got busted for illegally stocked Rusty Crayfish in Wyoming.
Wow! Tanner is right! Haters. Guess the haters would feel better if the properties featured in this film were taken away from the owners who WORKED for them, and redistributed to all the haters who don't know HOW to work? Go CFI! Way to persevere!
Bob and the rest of you guys that know nothing about Shannon and his firm need to keep your rude comments to yourself, I've known CFI an there employees for 12 years and they are very knowledgable in this Industry, they put out a very unique product,let's be adults here and if u don't have anything nice to say than call CFI directly and voice your rude opinions directly instead of Making jealous statements on the Internet, it's clear there earning a living like the next man or company,Good Job CFI!!!Sincerley Jim
Not a bad deal showing a different side of restoration, but a feel good story it isn't. The narration at 7:16 says it all:
"Smith says improving a ranch's fishery resource will significantly enhance the properties overall market value, while helping to ensure a healthy ecosystem for generations to come."
Priorities. Like making sure they're all wearing Patagonia Island Hopper shirts.
Haters?? WTF! All this film was an advertisement for CFI. Now I'm sure that Shannon is a good man and all his employees are cool to, but dude this crap where he comes booming into the office like he's some kind of Tony Robbins graduate and gives an air like "I'm to busy for you unless you got money" attitude doesn't work for the common folks. While I certainly don't subscribe to the school of " you owe me entitlements" I also don't believe in "look how rich I am" films. Hell I know guys richer that these guys who would blush at the arrogance of this.
Wow, you guys are incredibly sensative. @Tanner, I didn't dis the video at all, in fact I think the the video is fantastic. The use of the arial chopper is the shit and def the way of the future in action sports videography. I think you guys did a great job. I'm dissing CFI and am more than welcome to do so on a public blog / forum....just like you guys are more than welcome to voice your supporting opinions. Unfortunately this is a bit of a bigger issue than me just being rude to be rude. I appreciate the restoration efforts, like I said in my first post, but disagree with the exclusiveness of it. What is Shannon doing to help public water where I can take my son, grandson, etc 5-10 years down the road? What is he doing to support an organization like TU that's been helping with these issues for years? Maybe I just don't know. Like Rich says above, sounds like there are different priorities with the landowners than helping the fish and the ecosystems. Bottom line is I'm a common angler, most of the folks on chum are your common angler....expect to get some flack if your posting / submitting a video about helping wealthy Colorado landowners increase their property value. @Sandy, nobody is suggesting that land gets taken away from hard working Ranchers. If Colorado had better stream access laws, we wouldn't even be having this conversation. The public would be able to decide for themselves whether or not CFI is doing the right thing, in a sustainable way....until then I have to rely on this video.
CFI is comprised of men who understand the value of hard work and doing a great job.
The disrespectful comments about Shannon are so off base...if you knew him and his brother, Jason, you'd know that they are two of the most humble guys you'd ever meet. I feel so bad for those on this posting who don't know Shannon, yet, with malice, disrespect what he and his brother have built through hard work, set-backs, disappointments and victories...you must be so very unhappy with your lives to so viciously attack their success. They epitomize what makes America a GREAT country; the ability to build a business from the ground up through hard work and perserverance.
I applaud CFI and their commitment to a job well done. This film is a great showcase of their work.
GREAT JOB, Shannon & Jason Skelton!
OK Sandy you win. I'll go hang my head and be ashamed of my views and my worthless life. So sorry dude. Nuff said, rock on big boy!!
LOL. Love reading this stuff. I got the sniffles and giggles
This is an interesting debate and I am glad to see that everyone is keeping it above the belt. Hungus, I jumped on CFI's website and discovered that Skelton is a longtime TU member (like since 1987). I also discovered that he has given presentations to TU chapters about CFI's approach to modern river enhancement and restoration. In addition, I discovered via basic Googling that Skelton has been nominated for the Max Award of Merit from the American Fisheries Society, the Federation of Fly Fishers Conservation Award, and American Fisheries Society’s Carl S. Sullivan Conservation Award. With just a little bit of research you will see that CFI has worked on a number projects that are accessible to the public. Like the video or not, with a little bit of work you can find a lot of information that separates Skelton and his company from most in the industry. Just Google the company. There are a number of great stories about their science-based technique, including a massive feature story in the May 2012 issue of Field & Stream, a story in Gray's, etc. Regardless, this is a fun discussion. Cheers everyone.
I just enjoy the title "the river restored"
If you think about it restoration is the complete wrong word for this work. Restoration for a project like this would mean that CFI made changes to the river to bring it back to something that once was. I have a hunch that some of that structure in the "restored" river could never be duplicated by mother nature, thus how could it be restored when it could of never happened naturally in the first place? I like to word "improved" for projects like these. Just my non-hater 2 cents.
No, what makes America a great country..is volunteers doing the same work for free on a local trout stream with public access that all can enjoy.
" They epitomize what makes America a GREAT country; the ability to build a business from the ground up through hard work and perserverance. "'
Meaning - the ability to block out the public from a particular stretch of water, throw in some bucket biology and increase real estate property value...which is what it is all about right? Restricting the regular joes and creating a playground in which only the elite can enjoy. Why don't you get back to your tea party meeting.
Sorry, neither CFI, the property owner or the real estate agent are going to win any conservation awards here buddy. This display of bucket biology actually makes me sick. The mould covered rainbow says it all. How can that guy from CFI even call himself a biologist? Anyone with a fifth grade level of education regarding ecology knows that those trout compromise a put and take fishery. These days it is all about WILD fish. None of the fish in that video were wild.
And if you can't take flack you should not have submitted the video. The chum is composed of regular joe anglers who are not going to take kindly to rich boys patting themselves on the back for buying sections of stream and blocking out the public.
Anyway, answer one question for me. How are any of these people contributing to the future of trout resources/fisheries in any way shape or form. Blocking the public? Privatization of public water? Real estate equity increases?
Don't make me laugh.
Jimbob
To all you Shannon lovers, ask him about that $100,000 fine from Wyoming fish and game
http://iz.carnegiemnh.org/crayfish/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=453
This is an interesting debate and I am glad to see that everyone is keeping it above the belt. Hungus, I jumped on CFI's website and discovered that Skelton is a longtime TU member (like since 1987). I also discovered that he has given presentations to TU chapters about CFI's approach to modern river enhancement and restoration. In addition, I discovered via basic Googling that Skelton has been nominated for the Max Award of Merit from the American Fisheries Society, the Federation of Fly Fishers Conservation Award, and American Fisheries Society’s Carl S. Sullivan Conservation Award. With just a little bit of research you will see that CFI has worked on a number projects that are accessible to the public. Like the video or not, with a little bit of work you can find a lot of information that separates Skelton and his company from most in the industry. Just Google the company. There are a number of great stories about their science-based technique, including a massive feature story in the May 2012 issue of Field & Stream, a story in Gray's, etc. Regardless, this is a fun discussion. Cheers everyone.