The CCRCD has created a blog page to share latest projects, news, insights, and other informative and interesting facts and events concerning the conservation of resources in Contra Costa County. Click here to see more about our Watersheds.
In 2016, completion of the Pinole Creek Fish Passage Improvement Project at Highway 80 removed the only significant barrier to fish passage and hydrologically reconnected habitat in the upper watershed with the San Pablo and San Francisco Bay Estuaries. The Pinole Fish Passage Project is the capstone of a comprehensive, multi-year, habitat restoration effort. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on October 24th, 2016. It was a beautiful day to welcome the fish back to the I-80 culvert in Pinole!
Skills: Watershed management and coordination, grant writing, fundraising, events.
Fun Fact: Owns a marina, small urban farm, and a Scottish Highlander cattle ranch in the Delta. Loves music and silly hats!
Heidi Petty has been with the CCRCD since 2007. Her current position is Watershed Program Manager and Fundraising Coordinator, focusing on the Contra Costa side of the Carquinez Strait shoreline. In 1999, Heidi started a small bonsai and custom saltwater reef tank business named ‘Through the Looking Glass: A Living Art Studio’ in Crockett, CA, where she got an in-depth understanding of saltwater filtration and hydrology. Heidi has held numerous community leadership positions in the Crockett, Port Costa, and Rodeo area, including President of the local Chamber of Commerce and Board Member on the Crockett Community Services District. Her entrepreneurialism and government service background makes her a valuable asset to the RCD as a special government district.
She now lives on the river in Oakley, CA, and owns a marina and small urban farm as well as a 28-acre Highlander Cattle Ranch in the SF Delta. She is excited to expand her work by partnering with the technology industry to create innovative ways to help the environment through long-term partnerships and connecting tech to her restoration work.
Skills: Ecological restoration, California native plant horticulture, volunteer coordination, environmental education, community outreach.
Fun Fact: Enjoys collecting more plants than he can fit in his yard, loves learning about restoration projects around the world for inspiration.
Evan developed a love of nature as a kid catching lizards and building forts in the canyons of suburban San Diego. This deep interest in the natural world evolved into a focus on the human relationship with nature. Following this interest, he studied Environmental Science at UC Berkeley and Environmental Horticulture at Merritt College in Oakland. He spent several years working in retail plant nurseries before obtaining a master’s degree in Regenerative Studies (environmental sustainability by another name) at Cal Poly Pomona. This led to an extremely rewarding position as a garden educator at an elementary school in an underserved community in Pomona, CA, growing his love for environmental education work.
Working as a California native plant horticulturist at California Botanic Garden in Claremont, CA, then caused Evan’s interest in ecological restoration to blossom. He considers restoration to be a crucial pursuit for preserving biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and fulfilling people’s desire to heal the natural world. He worked several years as a restoration technician on projects throughout the Bay Area and is excited to be involved in community-focused watershed conservation with CCRCD.
