The summer sun was shining against the rolling golden hills of San José as a group of eight high school students worked together over five days to dig holes, insert fence posts into the ground and string wire across a half-mile piece of protected land - all in the name of conservation. This hardworking group from the Student Conservation Association (SCA) completed an impressive fence project where they learned about nature, local wildlife and land management techniques while connecting with their peers.
Keep reading to learn how this amazing group fully immersed themselves in the world of conservation and made a big impact on land managed by the Open Space Authority.
Students from the SCA’s Peninsula and East Bay Coastal Crews program spent five weeks during their summer break working on various conservation projects throughout the Bay Area. As the largest provider of hands-on environmental conservation programs for youth and young adults, the SCA is a non-profit committed to providing green employment opportunities and equal access to nature.
In the week leading up to their graduation from the program, the students worked in collaboration with the Open Space Authority’s staff members to construct a 2,250-foot cattle fence just south of Máyyan ‘Ooyákma – Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve to protect a delicate riparian area.
“This was our first time building a fence,” one student shared. “It was really physically demanding but being able to visibly see all of the t-posts feels good.”
David Mauk, the Open Space Authority’s Natural Resources Technician II, coordinated the partnership with the SCA and had the opportunity to educate participants on the wildlife and natural landscape features of the land they worked to protect.
“This is an extremely special place for biodiversity including native amphibians like the California red-legged frog as well as large mammals like Tule elk,” David said. “Unfortunately, these wetlands can be damaged by non-native species like wild pigs and cows who we have on-site to manage our invasive grasses. Putting a fence around the perimeter allows us to control when the cattle are eating the wetland feature and when they’re not.”
As a result, the Open Space Authority can continue to manage the lands in a way that’s light on the land, ecologically sensitive and will preserve them well into the future.
Field staff including Patrick Stevenson, Rowan O’Brien, Hanford Kwong and Stephen Woodson were on-site to support and guide these youth through the fence construction process and share their conservation expertise. Together, the students, their SCA Crew Leaders and the Open Space Authority staff installed t-posts, multiple rows of wire fencing and fortifying fence posts called “super stays.” The group worked quickly, covering 2,250 feet of land with new fencing within just a few days.
“It looks a lot simpler than it is to get the t-posts into the ground,” David added. “There are so many techniques involved that you don’t think about. It’s a really great chance for these kids to gain hands-on experience with all these technical skills that you may not learn elsewhere. It gives them a bit of a head start.”
The Open Space Authority is grateful for this partnership with the SCA; one that enables future conservationists to gain hands-on experience and encourages youth to explore potential career paths within the conservation field. This wonderful group of students were driven, passionate and caring about the environment. Open Space Authority staff looks forward to seeing them accomplish great things in their futures within the conservation field and beyond!
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