Zachariah (Zac) Perry joined Reed College’s groundskeeping team in 1999 to help rehabilitate Reed Canyon, a 28-acre degraded area located in the center of campus. Years later, Zac is credited with taking an area of campus from being a blight, to one that is a highly functional and proudful example of what urban restoration can achieve with community engagement. He managed all aspects of the restoration, including the removal of an old swimming pool that was then converted into a fish ladder system to allow juvenile salmonids to access the headwaters of Crystal Springs Creek. Zac also developed a system of monitoring change over time, and he is responsible for creating lasting partnerships with local agencies and science faculty, which support strategic approaches and adaptive management practices. Now in charge of the Grounds and Maintenance departments for the entire Reed College campus, Zac is able to use his expertise and long-serving partnerships to further support what is now considered the “Gem of the City” and the last free flowing stream system in Portland, Oregon.
