Preserve and Protect

Preserve and Protect. Saving Open Space. , In the rapidly urbanizing Silicon Valley, open space is precious. Your voice and your vote help protect the regional greenbelt that provides us all with clean air and water, climate change resilience, and nearby opportunities to unplug and connect with nature., As early as the 1970s, conservationists were inspired by this land’s majestic redwood forest, history, and proximity to South Bay cities. Many envisioned a preserve here, and in 1987, the County of Santa Clara declared it a priority for preservation. However, a developer bought the property in 1989 and made plans for luxury homes and a golf course., Organizations like Friends of Bear Creek Redwoods and Committee for Green Foothills immediately rallied to voice their concerns about the proposal. They valued keeping the land as open space, to protect the watershed, limit landslide risks, and maintain the area’s rural charm. After almost three years of sending letters, making phone calls and speaking at public meetings, advocates convinced county decision-makers to stop the development., Meanwhile, Midpen and Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) worked together to buy the property. Midpen secured state grants with help from California State Senator Byron Sher, while POST’s supporters donated generously. In 1999, Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve was finally created, and the land was protected at last., Caption One: , Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve would not exist without the tireless work of our grassroots supporters and ally organizations. This Committee for Green Foothills newsletter from 1997 reports on the campaign’s progress., Caption Two: , This old growth redwood an Alma Trail is 200 feet tall and 32 feet around near the base. Loggers left it standing because its strange form would have made it hard to mill., Caption Three: , Indigenous Ohlone people gathered acorns here, and ground them into flour in rock mortars. The grinding wore deep holes in the rock over generations., Caption Four: , Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve provides habitat for protected species like this California Giant Salamander.