Monroe biology/biotechnology major Maia Rossiello’s design for a four-and-a-half foot trout statue has been selected for exhibition in the “Trout Trails & Tales” exhibit, co-sponsored by the Brodhead Watershed Association (BWA) and the Pocono Arts Council.
The exhibit will be similar to the parade of embellished cow, bear, donkey and carousel horse statues popping up on the streets of downtown areas across the globe. But this parade will feature 15 fiberglass trout (pictured left), decorated by local artists and mounted to stand five feet tall. The trout was chosen by the BWA because it is indigenous to the creeks and streams of the area, and also reflects the health of the aquatic ecosystem that supports both wildlife and people.
Rossiello first learned about the Trout Trails & Tales opportunity from Biology professor John Leiser. She had to submit a drawing of her design (pictured below) for a juried selection process. Her trout design was one of 15 selected from a field of 40 entries. 
“My trout will be a mosaic, mostly of stained glass,” Rossiello says, “but I’m also going to the Brodhead Creek to collect litter and incorporate it into my design.” This is her way of making a statement about the need to keep local waterways clean. She calls her statue “Sine Aqua Sileo” – Latin for “without water, I am silent.”
The Trout Trails & Tales exhibit opens officially with a reception on Sunday, June 1, from 1 to 4 p.m. in East Stroudsburg University’s Keystone Room. All 15 trout statues will be on display, and there will be games and prizes for children. The event is free and open to the public.
Following the reception, the trout will be displayed through September 2008 at various sites throughout the Brodhead Watershed community. Some will be on Main Street in Stroudsburg. After the exhibit the trout will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the BWA.
The BWA hopes Trout Trails & Tales will increase community awareness of how land use, stream flows, trout populations, water quality, and human activities are all intertwined.
