New Acquisition: Two parcels totaling 192 acres for $650,000 on June 30, 2009. The properties are located south of Almaden Reservoir and adjacent to Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve. View this purchase on the Western Watershed study area map.

Buying undeveloped land offers the most permanent form of open space preservation and is the major means OSA uses to protect environmental resources. Occasionally circumstances prevent a fee purchase of land with significant agricultural or scenic value. In that instance OSA may obtain an easement that limits land uses that might injure or destroy the protected open space assets.

To determine the types and relative importance of resources to be preserved, the Authority divided the area of the county within OSA boundaries into 10 areas for study. This process enabled the Authority to identify general preservation priorities and goals. Properties being considered for acquisition are evaluated on the basis of these conservation criteria.

Besides protecting land by title purchase the Open Space Authority also contributes funding to the preservation efforts of other organizations. In addition, OSA manages conservation lands purchased by companies or public agencies to offset, or mitigate, the impacts of their building projects.