The Board of the State Coastal Conservancy recently authorized funding totaling $84 million for projects throughout California to protect and restore coastal lands, increase coastal resilience to climate change, improve public access to the coast and reduce the impact of wildfire on coastal lands.
Locally, the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority was awarded a portion of the funding—a grant of up to $1,188,000—to prepare and conduct community engagement for a draft master plan for about 1,550 acres of conserved lands in Coyote Valley.
The OSA and other organizations for many years have pursued and implemented numerous efforts to permanently preserve most of Coyote Valley, which sits within Santa Clara Valley between Morgan Hill and San Jose. Lately, the OSA has led a “public planning process to define the future of Coyote Valley, which will ultimately lead to the creation of the Coyote Valley Conservation Areas Master Plan (CVCAMP),” says the Coastal Conservancy’s summary of the project.
The CVCAMP will create a roadmap for implementing wildlife linkages, restoring water resources and habitats, supporting climate resilient agriculture and providing public access on Coyote Valley’s protected lands, the project summary continues. Public access improvements may include more hiking trails, staging and parking areas, restrooms, scenic viewpoints, wildlife-viewing areas, farm stands and interpretive features.
With the nearly $1.2 million grant from the Coastal Conservancy, OSA will move forward in implementing nine phases it has identified in the CVCAMP draft process. Tasks include community outreach, and engagement with Native American tribes, according to the Coastal Conservancy.
After completion of the draft, the OSA will conduct an environmental review of the master plan, and revise the plan into a final document.
