fall 2009 outlook, santa clara county open space authority newsletter

8/3/2019 Fall 2009 Outlook, Santa Clara County Open Space Authority Newsletter

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Fall2009

Vol.3

No.3

INSIDE

STANDARD PRE-SORT

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

PERMIT #2196

SAN JOSE, CA

Santa Clara County

Open Space Authority

6980 Santa Teresa Blvd., Ste 100

San Jose, CA 95119

OSA is working to protect sensitive lands, preserve natural communities,and manage open space in ways that promote agriculture and compatible recreation.

Open space is your

place for activities,

hikes and volunteeropportunities that help

wildlife thrive.

Take a tarantula hike,

ride your bike at night,

sign up to battle French

broom, or learn to be

a docent so you can

lead others in nature

adventures. Its all

happening at the Open

Space Authority.

Just look inside.

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From

To

Albertson Parkway OpensFunded in part by $400,000 from the Authority, theCity of San Joses latest urban open space project has

transformed an unsightly utility corridor next to SantaTeresa County Park.

This neglected land has been redeveloped with a

meandering trail and native landscaping, turning wastedspace into a recreation corridor and bird habitat.

The project also features bioretention basins to absorb

and lter rainwater that otherwisewould wash into the storm drainsystem and into the Bay.

The parkway is named in memoryof Gary Albertson, an area residentwho lobbied for highway safety inSouth County and was tragically

killed, along with his wife and

daughter, on Monterey Road.This is one of 15 OSA urban open

space projects which have receivedfunding of over $6.95 million.

YOU and the War on Weeds

Picture it: Teams of volunteersspreading out across open space tobattle the invader, French broom.

This could be you, environmentalsuperhero. (Tights and cape notprovided.)

What you do get is a chanceto make a big difference forwildlife that rely on native

species for food, cover andnesting materials. Frenchbroom crowds out the plantsthat provide all of this.

The Open Space Authorityis scheduling two work dayson the weekend of October

3 and 4 on land along UvasCreek. This area is not yetopen for general public use,

so youll get a peek at something not many people see.

Come one day or both from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wearlong pants and sturdy shoes. A long-sleeved shirt is

recommended. Gloves, drinks and snacks are provided.Bring a lunch. To sign up, contact Derek Neumann at408-226-3175 or [email protected].

Do you docent?

Would you like to learn how?

If youre one of those people whostares at clouds, watches bugs,

and considers the natural worldto be generally fascinating, OSAsinterpretive program may be the

place for you.

Docents lead activities and hikesthat allow them to share their

enjoyment of nature with others.Helping people feel comfortableoutdoors is an important step inspreading the conservation ethic.

Sharing your enthusiasm be it

for trees, spiders, birds, grasses orall of them together is a docentsmain task.

Saturday, November 14, OSAsinterpretive coordinator will offera one-day training that can set you

on the path to outdoor adventuresthat inspire others. Contact TeriRogoway at 408-224-7476 [email protected]

for details.


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Santa Clara County Open Space Authori6980 Santa Teresa Blvd., Ste 100 San Jose, CA 951

tel 408.224.7476 fax 408.224.75

www.openspaceauthority.o

3

Bike Night at RanchoSPECIAL-ACCESS ACTIVITY

AllthetrailsatRanchoCaadadelOrowillbeopenjust

forcyclistsduringthiseveningevent.Trailsrangefrom

moderatetodifficultwiththeCatamountTrailhavinga

slopeofabout40%.Ridersmustregisteron-sitebetween

6p.m.and8:30p.m.intheCasaLomaRoadparkinglot.

Parkingislimitedtothefirst50vehicles.Thisactivityisrestrictedtoadults.Riders

mustwearahelmetand

havebikelights.

Friday, September 11

6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Baby n NatureAdocent-ledactivityforparentsseekinganaturewalk

forbabies,toddlersandsmallchildren.Nodogsorother

petsallowed.Bringdrinkingwater.Rainwillcancel.

Saturday, September 19, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Rancho Caada del Oro

Saturday, October 17, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Penitencia Creek Trail

meetatthecornerofJacksonandMayburyroads

Bring Your Bike to Blair DaySPECIAL-ACCESS ACTIVITY

Aone-dayopportunitytoexploretheBlairRanch

additiontoRanchoCaadadelOro.Cyclistswillcheckin

(andout)withOSAstaffattheoverflowparkingloton

CasaLomaRoad,pickupamap,andexploremorethan

7milesofranchroads.Trailsaremoderatetodifficult

withsomegradesofupto40%.

Sunday, September 27, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Hearty HikersCasualdocent-ledhikestoexplorethetrailsofOSAstwo

preserves.Funthingstobring:water,ahat,camera,

binoculars,snacksandwalkingstick.TheRanchohike

is8.5milesthroughwoods,grasslandsandmeadows.

Meetatthestagingarea.TheSierraVistahikesoffer5.6

milesofgrasslandsandgreatviews.Meetattheelectric

gateinsideAlumRockParkacrossfromYSI.Sunday, September 27, 3:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.


Sunday, October 25, 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve

Sunday, November 15, 8 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve

The Tarantula TrailFallbringsoutthetarantulas,wholeavetheirhideawaysinsearchofamate.JoinanOSAdocentontheMayfair

RanchTrailfora4.5-milehikeinsearchofarachnids.

MeetatthestagingareaonRanchoCaadadelOro.

Goodthingstobring:

hat,water,camera,

snacksandwalkingstick.

Details and directions are

available on our website at

www.openspaceauthority.org

or by calling 408-224-7476.

Fun for Fall

Saturday, October 1

2 p.m. - 6 p.m.

photo by Derek Neumann


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Open Space Authority Lands Other Protected Lands

Santa

Cruz

County

Calero County Park


Open Space Preserve

Uvas Canyon

County Park

Uvas

Mt. Chual

Santa Clara County Santa ClaraCounty

The Open Space Authority has recently

closed escrow on several properties in

the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

The Dowmar and Johnson acquisitions, total-

ing 192 acres, are the latest addition to Rancho

Caada del Oro Open Space Preserve.

At 4,074 acres, this is the Authoritys largest

contiguous protected habitat. Calero County

Park, which preserves another 3,476 acres, is just

next door. What this means to the animal species

that make this foothill area their home, especially

the large mammals like bobcats, deer and moun-tain lions, is space to hunt or forage, to nd a

mate and to raise their young.

Mountain lions have the

largest geographical range

of any land mammal in the

United States. To maintain the

local population of lions in

viable numbers with healthy genetic

diversity will require

a coordinated effort among park and open space

agencies over a number of years. Together the

Authority, Santa Clara County Parks, California

State Parks and Midpeninsula Regional Open

Space District have already protected nearly

32,000 acres in the southern Santa Cruz

Mountains.

If these and other lands can be connected by

future acquisitions, they will create the opportu-

nity for a regional trail network as well as vital

wildlife corridors.

The newest addition to Rancho Caada del Orowas purchased from Peninsula Open Space

Trust for $650,000. The parcels are remote and

unspoiled, a combination of oak woodland

and chaparral, with

wetlands that

can pro-

vide habitat for protected

species like the California red-legged

frog and tiger salamander. The lands

also protect the watershed and

viewshed of Almaden Reservoir.

As climate change tightens its grip on

the Bay Area in the years ahead, the

ability of species to migrate from one

area to another may be their saving

grace. Extended preserves connected

by wildlife corridors are a way of

keeping options open for the large

mammals that share our environment.

Room to Roam

fall 2009 outlook, santa clara county open space authority newsletter

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