A Message of Hope

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Written by Andrea Mackenzie, General Manager

From the Indigenous Tribes who first tended these lands (and continue to this day) to the rise of agriculture and the tech industry, the Bay Area has seen profound transformation. And yet, through these centuries of change, one thing has remained constant: nature.

Each year, the land also tells the story of change. In spring, the grasslands of the Diablo Range awaken, unfurling into a lush, vibrant tapestry of green and wildflowers, before drying in the hot summer sun, creating rolling waves of golden hillsides. Directly across the valley floor to the west, the Santa Cruz Mountains stand tall with their evergreen canopy. Between them lies the Coyote Valley, a critical corridor that connects over 1 million acres of wildlife habitat, and home to prime agricultural lands that have sustained generations. Here, the cycles of nature, that of growth, harvest and renewal, move with a quiet strength. Yet woven into this rhythm is unpredictability. As extreme weather challenges us to adapt and endure, it reminds us that change, in all its forms, is the most enduring rhythm of all.

Two hikers sit on a bench overlooking golden hills and trees

The Gifts of Nature

Nature gives to us in ways that are very visible, but also in many ways we may not even realize. For families across Santa Clara Valley, including my own, it’s a source of joy, health and connection. Nature’s beauty, peace, and sense of belonging are familiar to many. Yet its quieter influences, such as the ways it sustains our health and nurtures community resilience often go unnoticed.
Protecting open space is more than preserving scenic views; it is safeguarding the foundation of healthy, resilient communities. These lands quietly protect us against wildfires, reduce the risk of flooding, filter our air and water, recharge our drinking water supplies and provide places where people can connect with nature and with one another.

We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in. For it can be a means of reassuring ourselves of our sanity as creatures, a part of the geography of hope.

Wallace Stegner, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, environmentalist and founder of The Committee for Green Foothills

Wellness Rooted in Nature

Open space isn’t just good for our hearts and minds. Nature supports our healthcare system too. Research shows that access to parks and green spaces encourages physical activity, reduces stress, and improves overall wellness. People living near nature are 48% more likely to meet physical activity guidelines compared to those without access. These health gains can lower reliance on medication, reduce hospital visits, and ultimately help decrease healthcare costs.

By fostering healthier lifestyles and strengthening community resilience, nature contributes to a more equitable and sustainable region. That is why the Open Space Authority is committed to expanding equitable access to nature through Urban Grants, so that everyone, regardless of background or zip code, can experience the healing power of nature close to home.
An aerial view of a patchwork of farmlands with a tree-lined creek winding through them; in the far distance are hazy mountains

Healthy Lands, Healthy Economies

In a time of accelerating climate change, open space is one of our most powerful tools. Natural landscapes absorb carbon, buffers communities against the effects of extreme weather, and help communities adapt to a changing climate. These benefits aren’t just environmental; they’re also economic. In fact, nature provides valuable services worth between $1.6B-$3.9B to our regional economy every year.

Nature also plays a vital role in sustaining our food systems. As we work to protect agricultural lands and pollinator habitats, we’re also supporting the farmers who feed the communities we serve. These working lands are the backbone of our agricultural heritage, and a regional food supply that provides fresh, healthy food close to home and reduces our carbon footprint and reliance on distant sources.

Protecting nature is not a luxury. It’s a smart, forward-looking investment in the quality of life for ourselves, our children and grandchildren. Because when nature thrives, so do we.
large brown mountain lion walking along a path next to a hill with leaves and shrubbery

Turning Vision into Action

This year, we translated our mission of protecting and restoring natural and working lands and connecting people to nature into tangible progress through groundbreaking milestones that will shape the future of our region:

• Protecting Coyote Valley’s Wildlife Corridor: Negotiating a landmark agreement with LS Power and PG&E to co locate a proposed new energy terminal at the existing Metcalf Substation, thereby safeguarding an irreplaceable wildlife corridor and saving taxpayer dollars by avoiding development on prime agricultural lands in Coyote Valley.

• Securing Historic Agricultural Protection Funding: Receiving the largest agricultural protection grant from the California Strategic Growth Council and Department of Conservation’s 2025 cycle, safeguarding the ongoing operations of more than 400 acres of farmland in San Martin from sprawl development.

• Leading Nature-based Climate Innovation in San José: Leading nature-based solutions to climate change by partnering with the City of San José to co-develop and integrate a Natural and Working Lands Element into the City’s Climate Action Plan, making San José the first city in California to include nature based solutions in its path to net zero by 2030.

• Advancing Safe Wildlife Crossings in Coyote Valley: Partnering with the Peninsula Open Space Trust on planning and design of critical wildlife crossing infrastructure along multiple locations along the busy Monterey Road corridor in Coyote Valley, addressing a decades-long safety issue for wildlife and people.

• Committing to the Future El Toro Open Space Preserve: Partnering with the City of Morgan Hill to lay a foundation for public trails at a future El Toro Open Space Preserve.

• Launched a “Nature Investment Framework” (NIF) initiative to mobilize new sources of funding, including private sector investment, in the protection, restoration and stewardship of Silicon Valley’s natural and working lands to benefit nature, people and economy.

Explore these milestones and more in our 2025 Impact Report!  

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