We are a nonprofit working to uncover and restore the buried and impaired creeks in the Salt Lake Valley.
Our People
Meet the creek-loving people behind our passionate work.
Core Values
We believe:
Our residents – people and wildlife – are enriched through creeks, which are often hidden from us;
Water connects us as neighbors and to the land;
Natural creeks filter water and air pollution, reduce flooding, recharge groundwater, provide wildlife habitat, and mitigate climate change;
Greenways invite the community to walk, bike, and paddle through our cities; and
Beautiful waterways provide access to nature and grow our local economies for everyone, allowing us all to prosper.
Scope
We serve neighborhoods through which the seven creeks flow.
Our emphasis is on communities who have lost access to their waterways due to creek burial, channelization, and degradation. We work with neighborhood residents and property owners, community groups, developers, and governmental leaders to achieve our mission.
“The old adage ‘out of sight, out of mind’ is an appropriate summary of our dysfunctional relationship with water. Daylighting our creeks is critical to re-establishing a respect for one of our most important resources.”
Background
From the classroom to a nonprofit
In 2014, students from the University of Utah and Professor Stephen Goldsmith developed a plan, 100 Years of Daylighting. This plan envisioned a century-long mission to uncover and restore the buried and impaired creeks in the Salt Lake Valley. After receiving a Utah American Planning Association Achievement Award, a group of dedicated students created a nonprofit to implement this ambitious vision – the Seven Canyons Trust.