News!

POST Permanently Protects 71 Acres in Mid Coyote Valley

On January 12, Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) announced the purchase and permanent protection of approximately 71 acres within a key corridor that connects the North Coyote Valley Conservation Area to the Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve.

This transaction increases the number of protected acres in this “last chance” valley floor to more than 1,500. Located at the end of Richmond Avenue in Mid Coyote Valley, the property connects to several POST-protected properties that stretch along Santa Teresa Boulevard and Fisher Creek. Protecting it creates a 1.5-mile corridor of contiguous protected creek-side lands within the 100-year floodplain that extends south of Bailey Avenue.

Read the full article from POST here. 

Your 2022 Hiking Horoscope

2022 is the year we’ve all been waiting for. Did you take advantage of all the outdoor opportunities you could last year? If not, this could be your year to turn things around. And if you did – maybe you’ll discover a new adventure, or see places well-traveled in a new light. Keep reading to find what may become your outdoor destiny for 2022.

A New Year for Open Space

Happy 2022!

Staff Spotlight: Meet Linda Kwong

Linda Kwong, Real Property Program Manager at the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, serves a purpose critical for any kind of large-scale conservation effort -- “I buy property,” Linda puts it simply. 

Winter, Wetlands, and Waterfowl

Winter is a critical time for wildlife. Competition is high and resources are low. With minimal vegetation and unforgiving temperatures (by California standards), wildlife must successfully stay warm by finding shelter and food. As the changing climate makes seasonal weather less and less predictable, local wetlands become critical places for shorebirds, seabirds, and waterfowl to survive the cold months.

Honoring Dr. King's Environmental Legacy

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated the third Monday each January in recognition of Dr. King’s incredible life and legacy as a civil rights leader. Many are aware of Dr. King’s lifelong pursuit of equal rights, but did you know the impact of his work continues to this day through the environmental justice movement? 

County Actions Safeguard Coyote Valley Farmland and Open Space

On December 14, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to strengthen protections for Coyote Valley’s natural and working lands. Amendments to the County's General Plan, zoning ordinance, and zoning map will protect important resources in Mid- and South Coyote Valley to safeguard local food production and climate benefits.

Winter Wildlife: Burrowing Owls

What lives underground and hisses to fend off predators? If you were thinking of a snake, then the burrowing owl succeeded in its goal (and our picture above must not have loaded...)! Sharing semi-arid climates with squirrels, rattlesnakes, and more has led this unique bird to develop some interesting adaptations, including that particular defense mechanism. Life on ground-level is no easy endeavor for these little ones, though they seem to make it look that way.

Social Trails

Virtually every preserve, reserve, or open space with a trail network open to the public will likely experience the phenomenon known as social trails. If you are an avid hiker, odds are you’ve seen one, even if you didn’t have a name for it.

Local Land Use Decisions Represent Bold Climate Actions

“We need to protect Coyote Valley from future development if we want to maintain our already diminishing wildlife habitat, protect our groundwater and agriculture and see our children grow up in a world that still has access to nature and its benefits.” – Assemblymember Ash Kalra