Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with your love, Palentine’s Day with a friend, Galentine’s Day with your gal pals, (or just really like boxes of chocolate) we have some fun ideas that you will be sure to love this February.
Click below to discover six funs ideas to celebrate in nature!
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.
It’s salamander season! These local amphibians have some very interesting adaptations, including the ability to breathe through their skin. If you're seeing these local species out on the trail, that's a great sign! (And please refrain from picking them up.) These delicate creatures are important "indicator species," meaning their population numbers are directly linked to the health of local watersheds.
Click below to learn more about the incredible world of salamanders.
Not everyone needs Bear Grylls' level of wilderness expertise to stay safe outside in nature. The smallest safety measures can make the biggest difference – and can even save your life!
Click below to read up on our latest tips for keeping yourself safe while out exploring nature.
New acquisitions, more restoration projects, stronger partnerships, groundbreaking climate initiatives – 2021 was a memorable year.
Click below to join us in looking back at what 2021 meant for the Authority.
Who Am I?
I am a unique bird of prey with a small, hooked beak, long white wings, and deep red eyes. My name comes from my characteristic hunting technique of hovering in mid-air to catch prey. Once a highly endangered species, I have made an impressive comeback in the Santa Clara Valley. Who am I?
POST Protects 71 Acres in Mid Coyote Valley
On January 12, Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) announced the purchase and permanent protection of approximately 71 acres within a key corridor that connects the North Coyote Valley Conservation Area to the Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve. This transaction increases the number of protected acres in this “last chance” valley floor to more than 1,500.
Read the full article from POST below.
Open Space Authority REDISTRICTING
Redistricting? What's that?
In short, redistricting is meant to redraw voting districts to ensure fairer representation for each resident. The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority will be engaging in this process over the next few months, and it is asking for YOUR help to plan, draw, and identify new Authority voting districts (“director districts”).
Learn more about the process and how to get involved.
Apply for the Expenditure Plan Oversight Committee!
Do you have a passion for nature and numbers? The Open Space Authority currently has vacancies on its Expenditure Plan Oversight Committee. This independent advisory committee of citizens ensures accountability, transparency, and public oversight for the funds that positively impact your communities.
Learn more about this rewarding volunteer role and apply on our website!
Who Am I? - Answer
I am the white-tailed kite! I thrive in riparian corridors and oak savannas near grasslands, where I can perch in the lightly wooded areas to rest and observe the neighboring grassland. Learn more about the white-tailed kite's amazing comeback story here.
Photo Credits
Couple hiking - Marc Bergreen Furtado Barn restoration - David Mauk Yellow-eyed ensatinas - Cait Hutnik Friends hiking - Marc Bergreen White-tailed kite - David Mauk Coyote Valley landscape - Teddy Miller Sierra Vista sunset - David Mauk
