Stone Canyon Creek (SCC) is an active restoration site in the heart of UCLA’s Westwood campus. This site is the focus of extensive habitat restoration currently managed by the student-run Ecological Restoration Association (ERA). Located adjacent to the Anderson School of Management, SCC protects one of the last open streams, and surrounding riparian ecosystem, in the area. The site is inhabited by many native shrub, tree, and grass species including, but not limited: white alder, mugwort, California sycamores, and California roses that aid in the health of the surrounding ecosystem and provide students with a secluded area perfect for relaxation and enjoyment of nature.

 

       When UCLA was first being established in the early 1900s, Stone Canyon Creek was one of its distinctive features that crossed over the western side of the campus. Unfortunately, as the university expanded and the demand for more space increased, the creek was paved over and siphoned underground in the 1930s, with only the small part of its length adjacent to Anderson remaining above ground.  This development, along with the introduction of invasive plant species via landscaping, eventually led to a decline in native biodiversity in Stone Canyon Creek.

 

       In response to the damage done to SCC’s ecosystem, the Stone Canyon Creek Restoration Project was established in 2006 by The Bay Foundation with the aid of the UCLA Lab School. The goal of this restoration project was, and still currently remains: remove invasive plant species and plant/promote the growth of native species. We hope that continual, diligent efforts of our volunteers over the years will bolster the health of the ecosystem, restore SCC’s biodiversity, and ultimately bring back some of the area’s lost native animal species. Today, this work is carried out by the students of ERA, under the supervision of Dr. Alison Lipman of UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability (IOES).

 

       The primary goal of ERA is to preserve the natural beauty and biodiversity of Stone Canyon Creek by removing invasive plant species, planting + caring for native species, and spreading awareness of opportunities to become involved in restoration projects and events. With time and effort, it is the hope that our work and the contributions of our volunteers will one day see SCC restored to its former natural state and beauty!

 

       If you have an interest in ecological fieldwork, preservation of natural habitats, or just enjoy spending time in nature, then please feel free to become involved in ERA!

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