by Heather Barber, Executive Director, Bitterroot Water Partnership
On behalf of the Bitterroot Water Partnership, I want to extend our sincere thanks to the Fly Fishers of the Bitterroot—and especially to Phil and Doreen Romans—for their generosity, leadership, and longtime involvement in the Bitterroot.
As the Fly Fishers formally sunset their organization, they chose to leave a lasting gift to BWP. Their final contribution will support ongoing work to improve water quality, restore fish and wildlife habitat, and deliver high-quality watershed education. It will also help fund the annual River Clean-Up–an event they founded, and which BWP is proud to continue as a community tradition.
This support reflects what Phil, Doreen, and the Fly Fishers have always stood for—not just a love of fly fishing, but a meaningful commitment to stewardship, education and the health of the Bitterroot River. Their leadership showed that enjoying the river and caring for it go hand in hand—that stewardship is part of the experience, not separate from it.
We’re also grateful to the Romans for encouraging club members to stay connected with BWP’s work. Their thoughtful recommendation will help ensure that each individual’s passion, commitment, and connection to the river can continue to make a difference for our community.
Thanks to the Fly Fishers of the Bitterroot, a community of local anglers are more engaged in caring for our waters. Their final act reflected both generosity and vision, and we’re grateful for their support of the work still to come.