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Coyote Valley Landscape Linkage

Bobcat Release at Little Uvas Open Space Preserve

The Open Space Authority recently joined its partner, Wildlife Education & Rehabilitation Center (WERC), at Little Uvas Open Space Preserve for the release of a bobcat named Oakley back into the wild. WERC has been caring for Oakley for the last 9 months and it was finally time for her to go back home.

Watch as Oakley ventures back into the wild and learn more about her care at WERC.

Open Space Authority has purchased HISTORIC property in the Santa Teresa Foothills

The Santa Teresa Ridge parcel, marked by unique rock outcroppings and extensive valley views, sits on the southern edge of the Santa Teresa Foothills in the City of San José. Located above the Greystone neighborhood near the Boulder Ridge Golf Course, the former agricultural parcel is rich in Santa Clara Valley history including the Greystone Quarry site.

The Economic Impact of the 2016 Loma Fire

The 2016 Loma Fire, which burned over 2,000 acres of the Open Space Authority’s lands, caused state and local agencies to incur significant costs - including substantial costs to the Authority during and after the fire. But in terms of economic impacts, often overlooked are the fire-related costs to the health and sustainability of our communities that stem from loss of vital ecosystem service benefits.

Measure Q Urban Open Space Grants Awarded Exceed $1.5 million

The Board of Directors for the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority has awarded $1,553,077 in the initial grant cycle for the Measure Q Urban Open Space competitive grant program. Fifteen organizations serving Santa Clara County residents, including nonprofits, schools, cities and the County, received grant funds for community gardens, outdoor leaders training, environmental education, homeless stream stewards, sustainable food systems and more. The $1.5 million in grant awards leverages more than $1.1 million in matching funds from the grantee organizations for total urban open space investment of more than $2.6 million.

Open Space Authority Loma Fire Response Targets Watershed Restoration and Recovery

Nearly 2,000 acres of open space lands burned in the recent Loma fire. Immediate priorities for the Open Space Authority include ensuring public safety from landslides and other hazards, barring illegal access (particularly preventing motorized vehicles from damaging exposed slopes), and reducing environmental impacts such as soil erosion and the flow of debris and sediment into the Chesbro and Uvas Reservoirs.

Rancho Cañada del Oro Preserve scheduled to re-open 10/29/16

The Rancho Cañada del Oro will be closed for another week to allow for rehabilitation and recovery from the Loma Fire. Currently, the Open Space Authority's open space technicians are working to rehabilitate and restore several areas of the preserve that were severely damaged by the fire. Heavy equipment is being used for the restoration and so the preserve will remain closed during this time to ensure public safety. The preserve is scheduled to re-open at 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29.

Ash Kalra: Don't squander Coyote Valley's value as open space

Published in the Mercury News October 5, 2016.

The state of California has always been in the forefront of climate change policy. Now, we have taken a revolutionary new step in the fight against global warming, by recognizing the importance of preserving open space.

How can preserving forests, farmlands and hillsides reduce greenhouse gases? The answer lies in the ability of trees and plants to absorb carbon from the atmosphere. When we convert open space and farmland to urban development, not only do we increase greenhouse gas emissions from new buildings and cars, but we destroy the green areas that were absorbing those gases – a double whammy for global warming.

Loma Fire

The Loma Fire began on Monday, September 26 and burned a total of 4,474 acres off Loma Prieta Road and Loma Chiquita Road about 10 miles NW of Morgan Hill. The burn area included a portion of Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve.

LTA Accreditation

The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority is applying for accreditation by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission, an independent program of the Land Trust Alliance. Accreditation is an extensive evaluation by the Commission to ensure the organization’s policies and programs meet rigorous national quality standards. The process culminates in the awarding of an accreditation seal as a mark of distinction in land conservation. Should the Authority successfully achieve accreditation, it will be the first special district in the U.S. to become accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.