News!

Protecting Santa Clara Valley's Farmland: A Partner's Perspective

California is home to innovative farmers and ranchers using climate-friendly practices that reduce on-farm greenhouse gas emissions, sequester carbon, and have other health and environmental benefits.

Learn how the Open Space Authority is conserving agricultural land to limit urban sprawl and reduce emissions. 

Written by Becca Lucas, California Climate & Agriculture Network (CalCAN) Communications & Operations Manager.

Read the full story here.

Nature’s Pranksters

Santa Clara Valley is home to a few native species who embody the spirit of April Fool’s Day, every day...

Tibbott: The Synergy of Planning and Conservation: State Investment and Land Use Policy Come Together in Santa Clara County

Read a story of how visionary land conservation interests in Santa Clara County are working to preserve the Valley’s rich agricultural and natural treasures with support from the Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation (SALC) Program and other state funding. 

Written by Emily Tibbott, Senior Advisor for Land Conservation, and the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority.

Read the full article here.

Santa Clara Valley Wildflower Guide

Spring in the Santa Clara Valley is the most colorful time of year! Open spaces provide habitat for many diverse species of native flowers, and every spring, you can find them across our region's hills, valleys, and woodlands.

From lilies to lupine, we’ve compiled this list of 24 flowers you can find in your open space preserves this spring. Happy Wildflower Season!

Celebrating Outdoor Spaces For All

During lockdowns, shelter-in-place, and stay at home orders over the past two years, open spaces became places of refuge, especially for those without backyards or urban greenspaces nearby. But for those who enjoyed the open spaces and trails “before it was cool,” increased visitation was a major change. So how do we adjust to the fact that more and more people are going outside and are visiting the hidden open space gems and best kept secret parks and trails?

Flower Frenzy 2022!

We’ve all heard of March Madness...now get ready for FLOWER FRENZY! We’re back for our SECOND season of the Open Space Authority’s Wildflower Bracket!

Join us this month for a fun wildflower-themed bracket to find out which species is this year’s favorite – while learning about native California flowers!

Community Connections: Julie Morris

In January 2022, Julie Morris was appointed as County Agricultural Liaison, a Cooperative Extension position supported by the Santa Clara County Agricultural Division and University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. Guided by the Santa Clara Valley Agricultural Plan, (written in partnership between Santa Clara County and the Open Space Authority) Morris is working to promote and protect agriculture in the region. With 30 years of experience in ranching, journalism, and food marketing, she is well-qualified to support the County’s efforts to conserve agricultural viability and productivity.

Monarch Butterflies: Adaptation in Action

Adaptation is a mechanism in nature that helps plants and animals evolve to withstand new environments. After all, the ability to adapt to changing conditions is critical to resilience and longevity for any species. One small, but iconic species that is flexing their resilience in 2022 is the Western monarch butterfly, an invertebrate with a surprising capacity to respond and adapt to both positive and negative environmental changes.

Staff Spotlight: Meet Elizabeth Loretto

“The way I describe it is being responsible for the people, the systems, and the facility that will help everyone get their job done well.”

Elizabeth Loretto, Human Resources Officer at the Authority, never knew what she wanted to do with her career, but she knew she wanted to be a part of something larger than herself. Her mom worked at small, community and mission-based organization, and both of her parents spent much of their time volunteering in the community. “I always saw myself in that kind of role.”

Furtado Barn: From Ruin to Restoration

Tucked away behind a walnut orchard in the Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve is a small structure known as the Furtado Barn. For years, this barn and the riparian vegetation around it was overwhelmed by invasive weeds. But in 2018, Andres Campusano, Supervising Open Space Technician, and Daniel Turner, Open Space Technician I decided it was time to turn it around.