L ANDSCAPES Peninsula Open Space Trust Spring 2020
PROTECTING LAND IS ONLY THE FIRST STEP Since I joined POST in 2013, I’ve seen a lot of change in our area and in POST’s work. Silicon Valley’s growth continues to amaze me, and though it’s exciting to live and work in such an innovative area, it’s also refreshing that our urban spaces are balanced by extraordinary landscapes — like the ones POST has protected since 1977. The Bay Area would likely look very different if we hadn’t stepped in. Contrary to what one might think, most of the properties we protect are not in good condition when we buy them. They are vastly degraded and require a lot of work in order to restore them and reap the many benefits that healthy landscapes provide. Along with our partners, we use both traditional and innovative techniques to make improvements. Active land management — stewardship — is necessary and comes in many forms. While our recent acquisition of Gordon Ridge and Rising Acres is an accomplishment, the land needs nurturing and critical farm infrastructure requires repairs. Forested properties like San Vicente Redwoods (SVR) provide important
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©Teddy Miller 2018
habitat and are crucial for climate resilience. Projects there — ranging from creek and forest restoration to the creation of shaded fuel breaks and the removal of invasive plants — offer great opportunities for POST and our partners to improve the health of the land. Regardless of the landscape, it’s essential that we monitor our stewardship projects so we can measure the impact and benefits of our restoration efforts and adapt them as needed. Caring for the land is unbelievably rewarding. I hope you enjoy reading about our stewardship work in this edition of Landscapes. You can also learn more at openspacetrust.org so that the next time you visit a preserve, you will view the landscape with renewed appreciation. See you on the land,
Daniel Olstein Director of Land Programs and Stewardship
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4 Cloverdale Coastal Ranches
What’s Next for Coyote Valley?
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A Refuge for Life
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San Vicente Redwoods
Now POST-Protected
Caring for a Special Forest
Gordon Ridge & Rising Acres
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WHAT’S NEXT FOR COYOTE VALLEY?
2 ©Teddy Miller 2016
Last November, we purchased 937 acres in North Coyote Valley, protecting forever the last remaining valley floor connecting the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range. This was a huge victory for environmentalists who have fought to save the valley for generations.
wildlife, as well as wetlands that are essential for San Jose’s flood mitigation and water supply. We look forward to getting started on important restoration projects like improving and creating wildlife crossings at key locations and bringing the Laguna Seca wetland back to its fullyfunctional state. And we’re excited about the many opportunities for world-class recreation that will be realized in the future.
The next step begins this summer when the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (the Authority), POST and the City of San Jose initiate a public planning process that will help shape the future of North Coyote Valley. The outcomes of this process will directly impact the Authority’s wetland restoration and wildlife crossing strategies, as well as define the future of public access on the land.
The transaction alone was extraordinarily complicated and expensive — something we couldn’t have completed without the Authority, the City of San Jose and advocacy groups like Green Foothills. But there is much left to do.
We are thrilled to have the opportunity to curb San Jose’s sprawl into Coyote Valley. With this transaction, we have preserved vital habitat and a critical passage for
This is just the beginning of a decades-long process. POST continues to raise money to cover the cost of our recent acquisition, potential future transactions and the restoration projects mentioned here. This is also an excellent opportunity for you to get involved as we embark on this new phase of work.
Visit the Authority’s website at openspaceauthority.org/coyotevalley for information on how you can join a docent-led hike in North Coyote Valley, volunteer, have a voice in the vision-planning process and get updates on restoration work.
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C L O V E R D A L E C O A S TA L R A N C H E S
A REFUGE FOR LIFE
Protecting 6,857-acre Cloverdale Coastal Ranches in 1997 was an enormous accomplishment. And its more than 14 miles of streams (some with endangered coho and steelhead salmon), 700 acres of redwood forest, 250 acres of prime agricultural land, 4,500 or so acres of grassland and over a mile of coastline, beaches and tide pools presented myriad opportunities for us to care for this special place.
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ŠTeddy Miller 2017
One way we measure our success in stewarding this landscape is by studying its wildlife populations, especially its threatened species whose health indicates the stability of the entire ecosystem. And, so far, so good. Studies by researchers at the U.S. Geologic Survey have found that the endangered San Francisco garter snake population on POST’s Cloverdale property is stable. One reason they are faring well is that we have worked in partnership with the San Mateo Resource Conservation District to restore some of the small ponds on the property. These healthy ponds now provide prime habitat for the snake, as well as for the threatened California red-legged frog — the snake’s preferred food.
Birds are also thriving at Cloverdale. Since Point Blue Conservation Science began monitoring our grasslands in 2014, bird populations have remained stable. In fact, Point Blue found that San Mateo County has more grasshopper sparrows (a California Bird Species of Special Concern) than almost anywhere else in California. It’s encouraging that our careful stewardship has been effective. But the work goes on. As the climate continues to warm, landscapes like Cloverdale will feel the effects, making it more important than ever to protect and connect our local lands.
San Francisco Garter Snake
Red-legged Frog
Grasshopper Sparrow
©Matt Dolkas 2018
©Sebastian Kennerknecht 2008
©Dominic Sherony 2005
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SAN VICENTE REDWOODS
CARING FOR A SPECIAL FOREST
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When POST protected 8,532 acres at San Vicente Redwoods (SVR) in 2011, we knew this landscape had a history of clear-cut logging and mining. As such, creating a healthy, resilient future for this forest was a huge opportunity for POST and our partners — Sempervirens Fund, Save the Redwoods League and the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County. Here are some of the exciting projects we’ve already completed, and we have plans for more in the coming years.
F O R E S T & C R E E K H E A LT H Like much of the Santa Cruz Mountains, SVR’s legacy of clear-cutting in the early 1900s had affected today’s forest health and its susceptibility to catastrophic wildfire. With very few remaining old-growth trees, regrowth is dense with trees that are competing for resources and more prone to fire. The creeks don’t have sufficient in-stream logs that create the complex habitat that fish and wildlife depend on. Here’s what we are doing about it: • We have completed 100 acres of “selective thinning,” strategically removing individual trees to give large redwoods the conditions they need to grow into old-growth giants. Additional phases are coming in the future. • Invasive plants like Clematis vitalba have grown unchecked, overtaking native species and threatening San Vicente Creek’s rich habitat. We are actively eradicating these plants. • We have improved water quality and stream flow by renovating the major forest road and culverts. Additionally, we have strategically placed logs in creeks to recreate a mosaic of deep, shallow, sandy and gravel habitats that benefit many species.
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©William Matthias 2011 / right ©Teddy Miller 2019
Creation of complex habitat in the creek through strategic log placement.
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PUBLIC ACCESS Public access to SVR requires careful consideration of the impact it will have on habitat and wildlife, including mountain lions and the endangered marbled murrelet. With our partner the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County taking the lead, here’s how we approached it: • Biologists, geologists, archeologists and various user groups were consulted to help define a balance between natural resource protection and a fun trail experience for hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers. • After five years of work, a master plan for 38 miles of trails was completed in 2018 that ensures environmentally sensitive public access and sets aside large areas of the property for wildlife. A California Environmental Quality Act review was completed in September 2019, and construction will begin once all permits are secured. The SVR partners plan to open nearly 10 miles of the trail by late 2020 or early 2021. • Wildlife cameras and birdsong recorders were installed to document animal activity before and during public access. The data they capture will inform forest management practices and future trail plans. Removal of the invasive Clematis vitalba to improve native species health and resilience. 8 10
©Teddy Miller 2018
FIRE RESILIENCE Some California native plants need fire to germinate. But how can we realize the ecological benefits of fire while mitigating risk of catastrophic wildfire for the forest and nearby communities? • In partnership with the Bonny Doon Fire Safe Council, we created 11.5 miles of shaded fuel breaks — trimming brush and low tree branches to reduce potential fire intensity and prevent flames from climbing into the forest canopy. These breaks also make access easier for firefighters in the case of a blaze. • In 2016, POST partnered with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and CAL FIRE to safely conduct a controlled ceremonial burn on five acres of SVR. The Amah Mutsun continue to evaluate the fire’s effects on vegetation. • We supported CAL FIRE’s completion of a second controlled burn at SVR in 2019, and we have plans for more.
These are just a few examples of our work at San Vicente Redwoods. Visit openspacetrust.org/san-vicente-redwoods to keep reading!
Controlled ceremonial burn with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band Council and CAL FIRE. ©Nicole Heller 2016
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N O W P O S T- P R O T E C T E D
GORDON RIDGE & RISING ACRES
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©Teddy Miller 2019 / right ©Teddy Miller 2019
Water flowing off the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains west of Redwood City, Palo Alto and Mountain View converges to form the clear currents of San Gregorio Creek. Building momentum as it descends the forested ridgeline, the water bends past ancient redwoods and verdant farmland before it hits the Pacific Ocean.
This new property’s lush, hilly grassland, called Gordon Ridge, will continue to be grazed using practices that support the health of the land. This scenic location also opens up possibilities for future connections to both the California Coastal Trail and the Ohlone-Portolá Heritage Trail. The latter would trace the route Portolá took on his exploration of the Peninsula, following ancient Ohlone trade routes. Opportunities to fill gaps in our regional trails are not possible without proactive land protection like this.
POST has long worked with our partners to safeguard this area. From the creek’s headwaters in the La Honda Creek and El Corte de Madera Open Space Preserves to its mouth at San Gregorio State Beach, we have preserved land to ensure the continued health of this living ecosystem. And we’re excited to announce that we recently protected an additional 578 acres within this watershed.
The property also boasts 38 acres of farmland, now known as Rising Acres, helping to further POST’s goal to preserve farmland along the San Mateo Coast under our Farmland Futures Initiative. We hope over time to revitalize the property’s agricultural operation. To do this, we are excited about the possibility of partnering with a local farmer to revive the farm’s soils and infrastructure — making it productive and sustainable once again.
Located near the junction of Highways 1 and 84, this newly acquired property is bordered to the north by 952-acre Toto Ranch, which was protected by POST in 2009 and is managed by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. To the south lies 74-acre San Gregorio Farm, which POST protected in 2015. Bookended by conserved land in this way, the acquisition expands our network of protected land.
We’re grateful to our partners at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation for their generous grant that made this acquisition possible, as well as to our private donors, large and small. It’s because of POST’s work, that you so generously support, that our region continues to benefit from the amazing balance of urban and rural landscapes that makes this place special for all who live here.
©Teddy Miller 2019
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WILDFLOWERS ABOUND With the spring wildflower bloom underway, it’s one of the best times of year to be outside exploring the local open spaces you help protect. And with our new guide, we’ve made it easy to find the best wildflower displays on the Peninsula and in the South Bay.
DOWNLOAD YOUR GUIDE TODAY! openspacetrust.org/wildflowers
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©Audrey Rust 1998 / screen ©Andrea Laue 2019
OUT & ABOUT
EXCLUSIVE DONORS EVENTS
As a thank you to our generous donors, POST hosts special events that provide an inside look at POST projects and opportunities to meet and talk with staff. Walks & Talks Donors who give $500 or more annually, as well as Open Space Legacy Society members, are invited to join Walks & Talks — exclusive tours of POST-protected lands. Stay tuned for our spring event and learn more at openspacetrust.org/walksandtalks.
BRING YOUR FRIENDS
POST hosts events for the whole community throughout the year. Don’t miss these fantastic upcoming opportunities to mix and mingle with other nature-lovers! Wild & Scenic Film Festival April 4, 2020 Family Nature Day at Huddart Park April 18, 2020 Bike the Coast with POST June 20, 2020 Learn more and sign up at openspacetrust.org/events.
Published by: Peninsula Open Space Trust 222 High Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301 (650) 854-7696 openspacetrust.org Design: The Point Collective, Inc. Editor: Liz Torczyner Landscapes is printed on 30% post-consumer paper with soy inks. ©Heather Finnecy 2016
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Monthly giving is an easy, effective GIVE. PROTECT. REPEAT. and affordable way to protect the Monthly giving is an easy, effective and lands you love. affordable way to protect the lands you love. Visit openspacetrust.org/monthly or or call (650) Visit openspacetrust.org/monthly call (650) 352-6236 to enroll. 352-6236 to enroll. SHAPEYOUR YOUR LEGACY. SHAPE LEGACY.
naming POST a beneficiary ByBy naming POST a beneficiary of of your IRA or 401(k), your gift is tax-free. Let us know your IRA or 401(k), your gift is tax-free. weknow are already in already your plans and enjoy Letifus if we are in your invitations to exclusive outings and events. plans and enjoy invitations to exclusive Learn more at openspacetrust.org/legacy or outings and events. Learn more at contact Jeanine Crider ator (650) 352-6312 or openspacetrust.org/legacy contact jcrider@openspacetrust.org. Jeanine Crider at (650) 352-6312 or jcrider@openspacetrust.org. POST tax ID number: 94-2392007. POST is a public POST tax ID number: 94-2392007. POST is a benefit California corporation andcorporation is tax-exempt and is public benefit California under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Service. Contributions to POST are tax-deductible.
Internal Revenue Service. Contributions to POST are tax-deductible.
©Andrea Laue 2019
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