More than 300 people attended the June 27 grand opening the Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve, Morgan Hill’s newest park that features sweeping views of the valley as well as recreational opportunities for hikers, cyclists and equestrians.
The Santa Clara County Open Space Authority acquired the 348-acre preserve in 2010 for about $3.4 million, according to OSA spokeswoman Patty Eaton.
The entrance and parking area to the preserve, which is a former home and ceremonial site of the Ohlone People who lived on the land for about 6,000 years, is located at 550 Palm Ave.
The preserve is now open to the public 365 days a year, from 7 a.m. to sunset. There is no parking or use fee required to enjoy the preserve.
The grand opening this past weekend featured guest speakers San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo and State Senator Jim Beall, and a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new four-mile multi-purpose loop recreational trail.
The preservation of the Coyote Valley parcel marks a new era in the region which straddles north Morgan Hill and south San Jose. Up until the recession and real estate crash of 2009, Coyote Valley, which stretches from north Morgan Hill to south San Jose, was eyed by developers for decades as a potential site for corporate campuses, tract homes and other commercial ventures. The economic downturn offered the OSA an opportunity to purchase the property and preserve it for generations to come, according to OSA staff.
The Coyote Valley is not identified by the OSA as one of the top 10 priority natural landscapes remaining in Santa Clara County that are critically important to protect from development, according to OSA staff. The preserve’s many conservation values include cultural history, water resources, farm and ranchland and a critical wildlife corridor.
The preservation of Coyote Valley is also key to protecting the local water supply, as the Coyote Valley floor contains the last remaining undeveloped groundwater recharge area for Silicon Valley, OSA staff added. In addition, the land surrounding Coyote Creek is critical for rainfall capture and provision of water supply.
Heritage valley oaks and serpentine grasslands dot the preserve, which encompasses rolling hills, rock outcroppings and native grasslands with blankets of wildflowers in the spring months, according to OSA.
The Coyote Valley preserve lands also provide habitat for some of the Bay Area’s iconic plant and animal species, including the Bay checkerspot butterfly, Opler’s longhorn moth, golden eagles, Santa Clara Valley dudleya, smooth lessingia and jewelflower.
The preserve even offers agriculture, as the OSA leases pasture for cattle grazing to the nearby Tilton Ranch, according to OSA staff. Cattle grazing on the property promises to enhance habitat for the Bay checkerspot butterfly and other threatened species by reducing invasive plants.
The park is the third public preserve to be opened by the OSA. Since 1993, the OSA has acquired and preserved more than 16,000 acres of open space in Santa Clara County.
