News!

Mayor Tran: Coyote Creek Matters

Authored by Milpitas Mayor Rich Tran. Published in the Milpitas Post October 13, 2017.

Milpitas is part of a much larger watershed that benefits Santa Clara Valley.

We live in an astonishingly beautiful region nestled against the rolling grasslands and oak forests of the Diablo Mountain Range. Milpitas residents clearly want to protect these beautiful landscapes.  We voted overwhelmingly (79%) last November to renew the city’s Hillside Ordinance that insures protection of our scenic hills while allowing common sense development.

The Coyote Valley Linkage to the Latino Community

Co-authored by Sergio Jimenez, San Jose Councilmember and Ada Marquez, Environmental Scientist and Faculty Member, San Jose State University. Published in El Observador October 6, 2017.

From the acquisition of California from Mexico in 1848, to the agricultural ties of the Valley of Heart’s Delight, to the transition of Silicon Valley, Latinos have strong cultural connections to Santa Clara Valley. Historically, we merge the issues of economic equality, civil rights, and local environmental concerns together. Latinos have consistently shown they care about our culture, nature, future generations, and a strong connection to the land. There is a place right here in Santa Clara Valley that deserves such care, though many don’t even know about it. It’s known as the Coyote Valley.

The South Valley Meadow From Above

There's a new reason to go take a hike at the Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve this fall - the South Valley Meadow restoration is complete and ready to capture the coming rains!

Folk icon Joan Baez honored by Committee for Green Foothills

Written by Eric Kurhi. Published in the Mercury News September 24, 2017. Photo by Eric Kurhi.

COYOTE — It wasn’t the most prominent award bestowed upon folk icon and social activist extraordinaire Joan Baez this year — she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — but the Woodside resident was all smiles among fans at the Committee for Green Foothills fundraiser on Sunday.

Baez, a Woodside resident who is internationally known for her three-octave soprano range and diehard anti-war efforts, is also known on the local level for preservation work on the Peninsula, particularly those aimed at helping fauna friends.

Silicon Valley farms? They're there, and they're worth millions

Written by Eric Kurhi. Published in the Mercury News September 24, 2017. Photo by Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group

SAN MARTIN — As fourth-generation men of the earth, the Bonino brothers know their picked profession isn’t for everyone.

Their century-old LJB Farms has been around since long before the term “Silicon Valley” was coined, but it’s now an outlier in Santa Clara County, a throwback to days when it was known as the Valley of Heart’s Delight.

Heidi Sickler: San Jose's sustainability plan is good government use of tech

Written by Heidi Sickler. Published in the Mercury News September 4, 2017. Photo by Karl Mondon.

Silicon Valley’s technology industry continues to demonstrate its enduring power to innovate. Year after year, the companies that call the Valley home dominate the marketplace with new tools, applications, and services.

However, tech is not the only sector of our local economy that is demonstrating world-class creativity.  Our local governments also are adopting innovative policies and programs to address many of the issues critical to the region’s quality of life.

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.

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.

Coyote Valley Family Harvest Feast Celebrates Urban Farming and Healthy Food

The Open Space Authority cordially invites the community to the Coyote Valley Family Harvest Feast, a celebration of locally-grown food, local farms, and Silicon Valley’s agricultural roots. This free and family-friendly festival will take place on Saturday, September 10, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at the Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve, 550 Palm Avenue in Morgan Hill. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance at www.CoyoteValley2016.eventbrite.com