Putah Creek Restoration Continues with 'One Creek' Partnership
The One Creek Internship, which began in 2018, consists of a partnership between the Solano County Water Agency (SCWA) and the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden (APG). In an effort to further the education and hands-on experience of students interested in pursuing a career in natural resource management and habitat restoration, the SCWA agreed to fund the salaries of UC Davis student interns working on joint restoration projects along Putah Creek over the course of three years.
During the academic year, students selected for the One Creek Internship work as co-coordinators for APG’s Learning by Leading™ Ecological Land Management team, overseeing the program’s interns and working closely alongside staff to perform numerous invasive species surveys, develop a native plant seed collection calendar and restore plant habitats along the banks of the campus's Putah Creek Riparian Reserve — part of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden.
In the summertime, these interns team up with APG staff, SCWA interns, and Putah Creek Council interns to work together (hence the name "One Creek") at various restoration locations to learn about and implement useful natural resource conservation skills such as weed control and monitoring, fire safety and preparedness, equipment operation and site cultivation.
As a result of the One Creek Internship program and the financial contributions of the Solano County Water Agency, 12 UC Davis students and over 90 interns have not only gained valuable career experience in team management and mentorship, but have also received an incomparable introduction to the field of natural resource conservation. Through the combined efforts of APG staff members and interns, the nearly 640 acres of the UC Davis Putah Creek Riparian Reserve continue to thrive. Home to a flourishing grassland ecosystem and freshwater biome for the area’s native plants and animals, the Reserve serves as an immersive outdoor classroom for those dedicated to learning experientially about natural resource conservation and habitat restoration.
