About UCC

UCC is staffed by:

Phil Stevens, Executive Director
Josh Bradt, Restoration Director
Mike Vukman, Field Project Manager
Kristen Quay, Restoration Coordinator

All inquiries directed to staff-at-urbancreeks.org will be forwarded to the appropriate staff member.

The mission of the Urban Creeks Council is to preserve, protect, and restore urban streams and their riparian habitats. UCC serves local river and stream organizations by providing technical and organizational support, and works with neighborhood and school groups, activists, minority organizations, environmental restoration professionals, ecologists, agencies and officials to accomplish goals and objectives related to the shared benefits of natural streams.

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HISTORY------

The Urban Creeks Council was formed in 1982 by a group of grassroots activists who fought to stop the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from channelizing Wildcat Creek in Richmond and Sausal Creek in Oakland. UCC helped prevent these channelization projects, and on Wildcat Creek worked to develop an innovative alternative flood control plan that provided flood protection benefits as well as habitat and a public greenway alongside the creek. In the process, we helped develop one of the first watershed councils in the state, the Wildcat-San Pablo Creeks Watershed Council, a multi-stakeholder group that is still active today. After six years of community organizing and negotiations with government agencies, UCC was successful in promoting an alternative Wildcat Creek flood control project which now serves as a national model for collaborative restoration and consensus planning. Since its inception, UCC has worked on dozens of restoration and preservation projects in collaboration with local grassroots groups and neighborhood organizations, for the benefit of the public.

FOUNDING PRINCIPLES --------

UCC encourages the principles of multi-objective land-use planning, alternative flood control design and stream stabilization methods, soil bioengineering solutions, and revegetation techniques for wildlife habitat and urban aesthetics. Involvement and empowerment of urban and marginalized communities has always been a core principle of UCC’s work. Through our projects and programs, we seek to reverse the loss of natural riparian corridors, help landowners make informed decisions about creek management, and work to represent progressive creek policies to officials and policymakers statewide. Through our Streamside Management Program for Landowners, sponsored by the Contra Costa County Clean Water Program, UCC staff can provide creek assessments and recommendations to landowners in the County, free of charge.

As a result of its long history and technical expertise, UCC is the only entity of its kind that provides these unique services to creeks groups, landowners and the public.

ACTIVITIES -------

The activities of the Urban Creeks Council include

• physical stream restoration projects;
• creek and watershed management and consulting;
• training and education for students, professionals, contractors, officials, and the general public in the areas of the aesthetic, recreational and ecological value of natural streams;
• promoting the values of natural streams through community involvement, presentations to creek groups and students, and at city and county planning meetings;
• outreach and advocacy on behalf of creeks and riparian areas; and
• collaboration with other groups on streamside greenways, parks and regional trails, and public access to green space.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ------

Abigail Fateman
Board Chair, Conservation Planner
Igor Skaredoff
Vice Chair, Retired Chemist
Ann Hayden
Secretary, Water Resource Analyst
Josh Stern
Treasurer, School Administrator
Beth Stone
Planner, GIS Specialist
Chris Kroll
Environmental Planner
Brett Morris
Attorney
Carole Schemmerling
Founder, Volunteer

Volunteers from Urban Creeks Council, Friends of Five Creeks, Friends of Strawberry Creek, and Live Oak Codornices Creek Neighborhood Association (LOCCNA) promote creeks protection and restoration at their joint "Berkeley Creeks" booth at the annual Berkeley Watershed Festival.