---
title: Celebrate California Wildlife by Protecting Open Space - and More
description: In honor of National Wildlife Week and CA Wildlife Day, learn more about what the Authority does to protect wildlife and their habitats to help them thrive.
image: https://news.openspaceauthority.org/hubfs/Rana-Draytonii-California-Red-legged-Frog-456954-edited.jpg
---

# Celebrate California Wildlife by Protecting Open Space - and More

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![Rana-Draytonii-California-Red-legged-Frog-456954-edited](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/hubfs/Rana-Draytonii-California-Red-legged-Frog-456954-edited.jpg)

Spring brings in new life and is a great time to think about the wild animals that call our region home. This month we celebrate both National Wildlife Week (March 13-15) and California Wildlife Day (March 20), recognizing the role wildlife plays in our natural environments and promoting how we can best protect these species.

One of the Authority's primary goals is to protect biodiversity and expand the habitat that native animal communities need to maintain healthy populations in our increasingly urbanized region. While securing and permanently protecting land is one vital component of this, the Authority is active on many levels to protect wildlife in our backyard.

One way that the Open Space Authority is working to protect wildlife is by helping them safely traverse Coyote Valley. Last November, the Authority in partnership with the City of San Jose [unveiled the first wildlife crossing signs](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/first-wildlife-crossing-signs-in-coyote-valley-unveiled) along Monterey Road in Coyote Valley. The signs will help to reduce animal-vehicle collisions and protect human occupants, while allowing animals to pass safely between habitats. The signs will also raise awareness of the need to accommodate wildlife movement in this critical corridor used by badgers, bobcats, deer, mountain lions, and more. This effort was just one of the many recommendations set forth in the *[Coyote Valley Landscape Linkage](https://www.openspaceauthority.org/conservation/conservation-priorities/coyote-valley/coyote-valley-landscape-linkage.html)*, the Authority’s research-based vision for preserving the wildlife corridor between the Diablo and Santa Cruz Mountain Ranges.

![Creeks Trail - Bobcat - Gary Chock - 5-27-2016 - 1](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Creeks%20Trail%20-%20Bobcat%20-%20Gary%20Chock%20-%205-27-2016%20-%201.png?width=700&name=Creeks%20Trail%20-%20Bobcat%20-%20Gary%20Chock%20-%205-27-2016%20-%201.png)

The Authority regularly supports research to help understand local wildlife and restore their habitats. The agency recently obtained funding to look at some of the lesser-known, but critical, species in our natural environment. The [Coyote Valley Reptile and Amphibian Linkage Study](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/partnering-to-leverage-conservation-funding) is a nine-month project that will work to understand habitat quality for three threatened reptile and amphibian species in and around Coyote Valley. The study aims to inform efforts to help protect and connect habitats by identifying where these species currently live and the potential opportunities to link their habitat from the surrounding foothills to the valley floor.

![Margaret Mantor (CDFW)](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Margaret%20Mantor%20(CDFW).jpg?width=3008&name=Margaret%20Mantor%20(CDFW).jpg)

Another ongoing study is looking at [whether humans can construct artificial burrowing owl habitat](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/building-homes-for-burrowing-owls) and encourage the threatened species to move in.

![burrowingowls2_ccKenCorregan](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/hs-fs/hubfs/burrowingowls2_ccKenCorregan.jpg?width=1500&name=burrowingowls2_ccKenCorregan.jpg)

Additionally, the Authority has just launched a pond restoration project for breeding California red-legged frogs at Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve. This is the only pond in the preserve documented to have breeding red-legged frogs, but it is in danger of failing due to dam instability. Restoration is essential for protecting this species in this preserve.

![Rana-Draytonii-California-Red-legged-Frog](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/hs-fs/hubfs/Rana-Draytonii-California-Red-legged-Frog.jpg?width=3008&name=Rana-Draytonii-California-Red-legged-Frog.jpg)

Finally, educating the community about the role of wildlife in our region helps to build support for open space protection. The Authority hosts year-round educational hikes and events focused on spotting various species. The Authority also partners with local nonprofit [Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation Center](http://www.werc-ca.org/) to bring up-close animal experiences to kids and families at community events.

March 06, 2019

## Categories

- [Coyote Valley](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/coyote-valley)
- [Urban Open Spaces](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/urban-open-spaces)
- [Wildlife](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/wildlife)
- [Open Space Authority Initiatives](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/open-space-authority-initiatives)
- [Events](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/events)
- [Agriculture](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/agriculture)
- [Green Infrastructure](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/green-infrastructure)
- [Land Acquisitions](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/land-acquisitions)
- [Urban Open Space Corner](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/urban-open-space-corner)
- [Policy](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/policy)
- [Environmental Justice](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/environmental-justice)
- [Community Connections](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/community-connections)
- [Restoration](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/restoration)
- [Staff Spotlight](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/staff-spotlight)
- [Fires](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/fires)
- [30th Anniversary](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/30th-anniversary)
- [Sustainable Agriculture](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/topic/sustainable-agriculture)

## Recent Posts

- [Celebrating Healthy Soils Week](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/healthysoils)
- [Coyote Valley Photo Contest: Meet the People's Choice Winner!](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/openhouseandpeopleschoice)
- [The Negative Impacts of Illegal Dumping](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/illegaldumping)
- [A Silent Spring?](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/earth-day-2024)
- [Staff Spotlight: Matt Freeman](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/matt-freeman)
- [Another Win for Agriculture in Santa Clara County](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/yiu-ace-2024)
- [Message from the General Manager](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/gm-update-2024)
- [Wildlife Grammy Awards](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/wildlife-grammys)
- [Honoring Dr. King's Environmental Legacy](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/dr-kings-environmental-legacy)
- [Wildlife Thesaurus: Top 10 Native Animals with Nicknames](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/blog/wildlife-thesaurus)

*For media inquiries contact:*  
![](https://news.openspaceauthority.org/hubfs/Blog_2017/interface/images/Charlotte-Graham.jpg)

## Charlotte Graham

Public Information Officer  
[cgraham@openspaceauthority.org](mailto:cgraham@openspaceauthority.org)

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