Open Space Authority develops 30-year plan for environment
Published in the April 16-29, 2014 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Andrea Mackenzie
Andrea Mackenzie
With Earth Day approaching April 22, the Open Space Authority thought this is a good occasion to share with the public its Santa Clara Valley Greenprint. As an independent special district dedicated to preserving key portions of the natural environment, the OSA’s long-term conservation vision supports healthy, livable communities and a vibrant regional economy. Morgan Hill and other South Valley residents will be pleased by the many conservation and recreation projects that the OSA plans for their active, family-oriented community.
The Valley Greenprint will guide the Open Space Authority’s work over the next 30 years. Our work always begins with the land — specifically, high priority areas that provide access to water supplies, habitat for rare and endangered species, outstanding recreation opportunities and support for farming and ranching. We acquire land from willing sellers who want to preserve their land in perpetuity. Some acquisitions require restoration of areas around creeks and streams to protect water supplies, the clearing of invasive vegetation to promote natural habitat for native species, and building trails to connect urban areas to open spaces, and people to nature.
Several years ago, as the new general manager at the Open Space Authority, I made my first visit to our Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve, which is in the northeast corner of Morgan Hill off Casa Loma Road. I thought it was the most beautiful and well-maintained preserve I’d seen — from the parking lot and restrooms to the trails themselves. The Valley Greenprint includes projects to complete several trails that connect this gorgeous preserve with area parks and major trails.
The Valley Greenprint also calls for a network of trails to connect urban areas, provide healthy recreation, and promote environmental education. Stretching from San Jose to Gilroy, the San Juan Bautista Trail will pass through Morgan Hill, creating a significant regional connection. Other projects will connect local trails with major parks and the Bay Ridge Trail that surrounds San Francisco Bay. We plan to help preserve scenic view areas such as Coyote Ridge and the southern Santa Cruz Mountains.
In this year of pronounced drought and increased competition for water resources, we are especially focused on the need to protect our local groundwater supplies. More than 228 miles of streams and groundwater supplies in the Santa Clara Valley are polluted. Clean water supplies are diminishing because 60 percent of the recharge areas that absorb rainfall have been urbanized. The Valley Greenprint identifies dozens of water protection projects, including Coyote Creek and Upper Coyote Watersheds and the Llagas Creek Watershed near Morgan Hill, and streams that fill the Chesbro and Uvas Reservoirs.
Other strategies aim to preserve our rich agricultural heritage, a vital economic activity that generates the region’s fresh food supply. Some 45 percent of our agricultural land has been developed since 1983 and more than half of the 27,000 remaining agricultural acres are at risk. The Valley Greenprint calls for protection of 7,400 acres in the Coyote Valley and more farmlands east and south of Gilroy.
Implementation of the Valley Greenprint will help us to strike a balance between development and nature and preserve the stunning landscapes, recreational open space, farms and ranchlands, and essential natural resources. Many Valley Greenprint strategies will require additional funding and we are pursuing new avenues of revenue, grants and partnerships to bring them to fruition.
Review the full Valley Greenprint and stay informed by visiting www.openspaceauthority.org.
Andrea Mackenzie is the general manager of the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority.
