News!

Message from the General Manager

Dear Friends,

We are only one month into 2024 and already there is much to celebrate!

Keep reading for the full February update from Andrea Mackenzie, the General Manager of the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority! 

Wildlife Grammy Awards

Ah, the GRAMMY Awards. This annual event presents what many regard to be the most prestigious and significant awards in the music industry worldwide. But while everyone else gushes about Best New Artist and debates who was robbed of Album of the Year, we’re celebrating a very different category of music...  

Keep reading to discover ten of Santa Clara Valley’s most talented wildlife musicians.

Weir Wetland News

The cycle of nature continues, and in the winter months, water breathes life into Coyote Valley. Just before the December (2023) rainfall, the dedicated staff of the Open Space Authority installed a special “weir” at Spreckels Wetland to assist in the revitalization of a historic wetland in Coyote Valley. Keep reading to learn how this project is helping make the best use of water to benefit people, wildlife and the natural and working lands that sustain us.    

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? 

Wildlife Thesaurus: Top 10 Native Animals with Nicknames

There are many different names you could use to refer to the animal species that live in Santa Clara Valley's open spaces! You can refer to them by their scientific names or their common names, but common names can get confusing when species have many that are used interchangeably.

Ring in the New Year

As part of a trial program aimed at enhancing safety on the multi-use trails, the Open Space Authority has recently introduced a Bike Bell Station at the information kiosk of Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve. This addition encourages mountain bikers to prioritize responsible recreation by ringing their bells when passing fellow visitors and navigating blind turns to contributes to the safety and overall enjoyment of all trail users.  

Christmas Bird Count Takes Flight in Santa Clara valley

December 2023 marks the 124^th Christmas Bird Count, the nation’s longest-running community science bird project. From mid-December to early January each year, the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society (SCVAS) sponsors these efforts by coordinating volunteers who venture out to the open spaces of San José, Palo Alto, Morgan Hill, and Mount Hamilton to take part in assessing the health of bird populations and to help guide future conservation action.

15 Tips for trail riding with your Horse

For equestrians, riding on the trail is a joyful and freeing experience. Spending time on horseback is a lot of fun, and trail rides can help strengthen your bond and build trust with your equine companion. Whether you are riding to a nearby trail, or trailering your horse to a new location, be sure to prepare to make it a safe, comfortable and enjoyable experience for all. Keep reading to see some essential tips for the safety of yourself, your horse, and everyone else out on the trail.  

Pajaro Plantings: Restoring the river

During the first week of December 2023, nearly 100 sixth and seventh grade students took a field trip to the Pajaro River Agricultural Preserve to help kickstart the restoration of a riparian forest. Over the course of the day, the students from the Indigo Program at the Oak Grove School District in San José planted roughly 200 native trees, shrubs, and forbs. By restoring important riparian habitat, this project promotes biodiversity as it provides for native wildlife and creates long-lost creekside habitat along a degraded stretch of the Pajaro River.

Must-See Mushrooms

As winter approaches mushroom season is right around the corner!