Eastside Explorers

The Authority contributed funds to the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council for the Gateway to Trails and Parks: Ridge Trail Interpretive, Wayfinding and Outings project at Berryessa BART Station. The project used the opening of the new Berryessa BART station to introduce and connect the public to the outstanding network of trails, parks, and open space in Santa Clara County. The Berryessa station includes a new section of the Bay Area Ridge Trail and connects directly to the Penitencia Creek Trail and other trails, offering access to many nearby parks and open spaces. This project promotes exciting new opportunities to combine transit and trails for recreation and transportation.

The Authority grant funded the San Jose State University Research Foundation's project, a signature CommUniverCity program, that aims to create a self-sustaining food system for low-income communities in Central San Jose where each child has opportunities to garden at a school garden or urban farm in their neighborhood. The program increases awareness of the importance of eating healthy, fresh foods, and promotes environmental stewardship among low-income children and their families.

The Authority contributed funds towards a series of Bioblitz Events hosted by Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful. Coyote Creek is a diverse natural area with multiple types of habitat for varied wildlife. The four BioBlitz events took place at two locations along the creek, where the public helped document animal and plant species with a simple mobile app, iNaturalist. These events aimed to attract diverse participants, including people who may spend little time in nature and can expose more people to the outdoors in a new way.