Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency

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Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency

The Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency leads the implementation of the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan

The Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency leads the implementation of the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan (Habitat Plan). The Habitat Plan is a 50-year regional plan to protect endangered species and natural resources while allowing for future development in Santa Clara County. In 2013 the Habitat Plan was adopted by all local participating agencies and permits were issued from the US Fish and Wildlif

e Service and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. It is both a habitat conservation plan and natural community conservation plan, or HCP/NCCP. This planning document:

Helps private and public entities plan and conduct projects and activities in ways that lessen impacts on natural resources, including specific threatened and endangered species. Identifies regional lands—called reserves—to be preserved or restored to benefit those species. Describes how reserves will be managed and monitored to ensure that they benefit those species. In providing a long-term, coordinated program for habitat restoration and conservation, the Habitat Plan aims to enhance the viability of threatened and endangered species throughout the Santa Clara Valley. The Habitat Agency implements the Habitat Plan and reports compliance to the Wildlife Agencies.

05/22/2026

"Look closely at nature. Every species is a masterpiece, exquisitely adapted to the particular environment in which it has survived. Who are we to destroy or even diminish biodiversity?" ~E. O. Wilson

Today we honor the International Day for Biological Diversity--May 22--which serves as a reminder of two realities:

(1) We are in the midst of a global biodiversity crisis, having lost, for example, one-third of all bird abundance and nearly half of all insect biomass in North America in just the last 50 years; and

(2) The path forward depends on conservation and restoration happening locally, through meaningful planning, hard work, and strong partnerships.

At the Habitat Agency, we’re proud to contribute locally to the collective effort to conserve, protect, and restore the species and habitats that make our region unique and biodiverse.

No single organization can solve this challenge alone. But together, through numerous, thoughtful, and local efforts all over the globe, we can work in unison to sustain and restore the biodiversity that sustains us all.

04/22/2026

🌎 Earth Day 2026 🌿

This Earth Day, the Habitat Agency celebrates the landscapes, plants, wildlife, and partnerships that make conservation in our region possible.

From grasslands and oak woodlands to creeks and ponds, our work is rooted in protecting and connecting the places that sustain biodiversity. Through the Habitat Plan, we are conserving thousands of acres of open space, restoring critical habitats, and recovering special-status plant and wildlife populations. Our work is made possible through collaboration with local landowners, public agencies, non-profit organizations, scientists, and community members.

Earth Day is a reminder that the health of our natural lands is tied to the choices we make every day. Whether it’s supporting conservation efforts, spending time outdoors, or learning about the ecosystems around you, everyone has a role to play.

04/20/2026

The Habitat Agency has successfully collared a male mountain lion, M453, in the Pacheco Pass region. This effort is part of our ongoing work to better understand how wildlife moves across the landscape. Data from M453 will help inform major wildlife connectivity projects in the Diablo Range

Every data point brings us closer to smarter, science-driven conservation.

Stay tuned for updates as M453’s journey helps shape the future of wildlife connectivity in our region.

Big thanks to our partners at Wildlife Detections , Wildlife Health Center, UC Davis , and who make this work possible!

03/20/2026

🐸 Happy World Frog Day! 🌎💚

Today we’re celebrating the California red-legged frog, Pacific chorus frog, and Foothill yellow-legged frog.

You may be most familiar with the Pacific chorus frog—a small but mighty amphibian whose loud “ribbit-ribbit” calls are a sure sign of spring in local wetlands and grasslands. Despite their tiny size, they play an important role in controlling insects and supporting the food web.

The California red-legged frog is the largest native frog in the western United States and a federally threatened species. These frogs rely on healthy ponds, creeks, and surrounding upland habitat to survive—making habitat protection and restoration essential to their future.

The Foothill yellow-legged frog is a true stream specialist, found in rocky, flowing creeks where it depends on clean water and natural flow patterns to breed. This species has experienced significant declines across California, highlighting the importance of protecting our region’s river and stream ecosystems.

Through habitat protection, restoration, and careful land management, the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency is working to support healthy ecosystems where frogs and other native wildlife can flourish.

Keep an eye out for our amphibian friends next time you’re near a pond, wetland or creek – they can be hard to find, like the California red-legged frog in this photo!

03/03/2026

World Wildlife Day 🐾

Santa Clara Valley is home to an extraordinary diversity of wildlife — a reflection of the landscapes that still sustain them.

From grasslands and wetlands to oak woodlands and serpentine soils, every habitat plays a role in supporting native species. Protecting these lands means protecting the ecological richness that defines our region.

Today we celebrate the wildlife of the Santa Clara Valley and the landscapes that make their survival possible.

02/26/2026

The rains have arrived.
And beneath the surface, the next generation is already beginning.

Throughout the Reserve System, seasonal wetlands and managed ponds provide critical reproductive habitat for native amphibians, including the California red-legged frog and the threatened California tiger salamander.

Ongoing restoration and stewardship — including pond enhancement and invasive species management — help maintain the hydrologic and ecological conditions necessary for successful reproduction.

02/25/2026

It's National Invasive Species Awareness Week!

The American bullfrog may look like just another amphibian, but outside its native range it’s one of the most disruptive invasive predators in freshwater ecosystems.

Introduced through pet trade, aquaculture, and historic stocking, bullfrogs prey on native amphibians, reptiles, fish, birds, and even small mammals. Their large size, voracious appetite, and high reproductive output allow them to outcompete and displace sensitive native species like the California tiger salamander, California red-legged frog, and western pond turtle.

Targeted bullfrog control efforts are critical to local recovery efforts. Last year, the Habitat Agency initiated a bullfrog control program at three sites within the Reserve System. Over 600 American bullfrog adults/sub-adults were removed.

Invasive species are one of the leading drivers of biodiversity loss worldwide. Awareness and prevention remain our most effective tools.

02/17/2026

Great news for wildlife and motorist safety! 🦌🚗 🐈

We’re excited to share the completion of 0.5 miles of wildlife directional fencing along SR-152 — an important step in reducing wildlife-vehicle collisions and improving habitat connectivity. Construction included three strategically placed jump outs for animals trapped on the roadway to safely exit.

This project is just the beginning. Future plans involve an additional 1.5 miles of fencing, which will significantly expand protection for local wildlife. Securing funding is the next critical piece to make this happen.

Every stretch of fencing makes a difference — for wildlife and for the traveling public. Thank you to our partners who made this possible!

02/13/2026

At yesterday's meeting, the California Fish and Game Commission unanimously voted to list six distinct mountain lion populations as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act.

The Habitat Agency is proud to be leading land conservation and wildlife connectivity projects that benefit mountain lions.

Check out one of our favorite mountain lion highlight reels from Uvas South Reserve!

🐈 🎬 : Wildlife Detections

02/09/2026

We were proud to attend the first-ever Science & Stewardship Symposium in Santa Cruz alongside so many dedicated partners working to advance science-based land stewardship in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Thank you to the Santa Cruz Mountains Stewardship Network for convening this important event, and a special thank you to the sponsors—particularly Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District and the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority—for their leadership and continued commitment to protecting these extraordinary landscapes.

https://www.openspace.org/about/press/first-ever-science-symposium-success-santa-cruz

Address

535 Alkire Avenue
Morgan Hill, CA
95037

Telephone

+14087797261

Website

http://scv-habitatagency.org/

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