Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority

09/10/2026

What's your LOCAL AGRICULTURE personality type??

We've put together 4 iconic personality types based on our region's farmlands and agriculture. Which one areYOU? 🚜🌱🍅

The Open Space Authority takes lead role in identifying and preserving farmland, ranches, and rangeland. In collaboration with farmers, ranchers, agricultural organizations, and other partners, we're identifying ways to support and help protect Santa Clara Valley’s most important remaining working lands! ☀

Learn more about this work on our website: https://www.openspaceauthority.org/projects-programs/agriculture

09/09/2026

To celebrate , we’re highlighting Coyote Valley, a local bird biodiversity hotspot.

The area includes essential habitat for more than 220 species of resident and migratory birds - one of the highest recorded bird species richness in the NATION. In addition, Coyote Valley’s Laguna Seca wetland is an important stopover for waterfowl migrating along the Pacific Flyway.

We put together a list of birds you might spot on a visit to Coyote Valley. How many have you seen before? https://www.openspaceauthority.org/whats-new/birdwatchers-guide-to-coyote-valley

P.S. Research shows that time spent birdwatching (even casually) can reduce negative emotions and help people feel happier about themselves and the world around them 😌🌎 Don’t worry if you're a total beginner – birding is for everyone.

09/08/2026

Welcome back to ! 🕷️💥🍂 Fall is TARANTULA season, and every year many people ask us how to spot these native spiders. Here are our top three tips:

1. Go looking for them in the late afternoon, as close to sunset as possible. 🌄
2. Walk SLOW and stop frequently, while looking from side to side. 👀
3. Most tarantulas won’t be crawling across the middle of the trail, so be sure to look next to the trail in the taller grass (NOT an invitation to leave the trail yourself. Always stay on designated trails, and let your eyes do the work). ✅

If you do spot a fuzzy friend, REMEMBER:

1. Don’t pick it up.
2. Let it go where it wants to go – including to hide.
3. Don’t get too close (tarantulas are gentle creatures but WILL defend themselves by shooting barbed hairs if threatened).

To learn more about these amazing arachnids, visit our blog: https://www.openspaceauthority.org/whats-new/the-fall-crawl

09/07/2026

This , join us in celebrating our FIELD STAFF who work hard 365 days a year to maintain your open space preserves and trails and for all to enjoy!

If you celebrate outside this week, please join us in thanking them for their tireless work! 💚

Ever wondered what Open Space Technicians (OSTs for short) do every day? 🤔

✅ Patrol open space preserves to promote safe and responsible use of the land.
✅ Provide visitor services (opening and closing preserves, providing info and directions to visitors, assisting visitors with questions, comments, and emergencies).
✅ Trail and road maintenance and construction (trail brushing, clearing downed trees, and erosion control).
✅ Construct, maintain, and repair trails and facilities at open space preserves to promote safe public access (doing carpentry, painting, electrical, welding, and plumbing tasks, and general custodial duties).
✅ Resource management (habitat restoration and identifying and removing non-native invasive plants).
✅ Supervise volunteers, seasonal workers, and other groups on projects.
✅ Provide support for controlled burns and various emergency services (wildfire suppression, search and rescue, and medical response).

Our team braves heat waves, storms, grueling trail work, a LOT of poison oak, early mornings and late nights, smoke and wildfires, mudslides, wind and rain, wildlife encounters - just to name a few - to protect open space and keep YOU connected to it!

09/06/2026

To celebrate , check your zodiac sign to discover your Coyote Valley special species animal match! 🔮🌌🐾

Just south of San José, Coyote Valley is THE vital connection between the Santa Cruz Mountains and Diablo Range. Scientific studies have documented rare species and animal movement here.

These species and others depend on Coyote Valley as a linkage to live in and move between mountain ranges, in order to maintain genetic diversity and overall ecological health and adapt to climate change.

Do you agree with your twin flame?? 🔥 Let us know in the comments!

If you don’t know your horoscope, we've got you covered:

♈Aries (March 21 – April 20): Tricolored blackbird
♉ Ta**us (April 21 – May 20): Western pond turtle
♊ Gemini (May 21 – June 21): White-tailed kite
♋ Cancer (June 22 – July 22): California red-legged frog
♌ Leo (July 22 – August 23): Mountain lion
♍ Virgo (August 22 – September 23): Burrowing owl
♎ Libra (September 24 – October 23): Bay checkerspot butterfly
♏ Scorpio (October 24 – November 22): American badger
♐ Sagittarius (November 23 – December 22): Bobcat
♑ Capricorn (December 23 – January 20): California tiger salamander
♒ Aquarius (January 21 – February 19): Gray fox
♓ Pisces (February 20 – March 20): Swainson’s hawk

09/04/2026

We're celebrating the best way we know how – by sharing some of our favorite wildlife cam photos from Santa Clara Valley’s open spaces!

These motion-activated trail cameras give us an inside look at the secret lives of animals found in our region.

At the Open Space Authority, we're passionate about protecting and restoring native habitat for the benefit of ALL the diverse and beautiful native animals that live here. 💚🌳

When you visit an open space preserve, keep in mind that you’re stepping into the home of these special residents. 🐾 We can ALL do our part to keep them safe and healthy by staying on designated trails, packing out trash, and never chasing, approaching, or attempting to capture wildlife. 🦋🐺🦌🐍

1. Mountain lion ready for her close-up 👁👁
2. Band of coyotes enjoying a morning romp ☀
3. Burrowing owl surveying his domain 🦉
4. American badger stare-down 🦡
5. Baby bobcat 🥹
6. Tule elk + herd 🦌
7. Mountain lion wildflower princess 🌼
8. Golden eagle morning stretch 🦅
9. Gray fox late-night rendezvous 🦊
10. Hawk takeoff!

09/03/2026

On Friday, September 11, join the Open Space Authority, San José Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Rangers, and the San Jose Astronomical Association for a free, relaxing evening beneath the stars at Alum Rock Park, created especially for older adults!

Through telescopes and sky gazing, we hope to create an opportunity for seniors to connect with peers, make new friends, and enjoy a memorable night together.

Join the Open Space Authority, Alum Rock Park Rangers and SJAA for a special stargazing experience for seniors!

09/03/2026

Sooo OOOPS! 😬

^ This is what you DON’T want to be saying this holiday weekend. Here are some nice holiday weekend goals to consider:

✅ Make happy memories. Go ahead and do it for the gram, just remember to follow preserve rules.

✅ Get some fresh air and exercise. Pro tip: Inhale, exhale.

✅ Try to avoid a 9-1-1 call by preparing for your day and planning ahead. Holidays are a notoriously busy time for first responders, and the fewer emergencies they have to respond to, the better (That said, if you ARE experiencing an emergency, that is the correct number to dial.)

🗣 As the saying goes: Know safety, no injury; no safety, know injury. 💡

🗺 Check a map, Dora! Know the name of the place you’re visiting and the name of the trail you plan to explore. Then, tell someone else where you’re going and when you plan to be back.

🌦 Check the daily weather so you know what to expect and what to wear. (Sure, dress for the gram, then consider what other layers you might need once the photoshoot is finished.)

😎 Protect your skin, rain or shine! (No jokes here. Sun damage is terrifying.)

💧 Drink plenty of water and SKIP alcohol, drugs and smoking - none of which are permitted at Open Space Preserves. While we appreciate that v**e pens probably won’t start a wildfire, people didn't go outside to find shapes in your v**e clouds.

🤝 Safety in numbers. In the words of anonymous search engine quotes, "Sharing an adventure means knowing it will live on in someone else's memory too."

💚 In summary, have fun, know before you go and make good choices, respect wildlife and check our alerts and closures page for real-time updates: https://www.openspaceauthority.org/alerts-closures

09/02/2026

September is , which is a great time for a reminder on how to be courteous to nature and the animals who live there.

Here are some of our top tips for treating wildlife with courtesy and respect:

💚 LEAVE THEM ALONE!
💚 Admire from a respectful and safe distance.
💚 Don't approach, chase, or feed. Even for a photo.
💚 Don't attempt to handle up animals, even smaller ones, like lizards and frogs. This leads to unnecessary stress for the animal and can result in getting bitten.
💚 Never remove any animal from the wild as this can harm them and impact local populations.
💚 Did we mention leave them alone?

At the end of the day, approaching and harassing wildlife (even for a photo) is disrespectful AND risky to your own safety.

Let’s strive to be kind and respectful to nature and all that inhabit it. 🤝🐾❤️

F️or more tips about keeping wildlife (and yourself) safe, check out our blog! https://www.openspaceauthority.org/whats-new/guide-keeping-wildlife-and-yourself-safe

Graphic inspired by National Park Service

09/01/2026

Come one, come all... to the TARANTULA FALL CRAWL! 🕷️💥🍂 

Don’t be spooked if you see BIG hairy spiders on the trails this season! Every late summer/early fall, California tarantulas head out in search of mates. ❤️🥲  
 
Tarantulas might look intimidating, but these fuzzy slowpokes pose no danger to humans. If you’re nervous about running into one, remember that they only defend themselves when threatened and they are not dangerously venomous to humans.

Give them their space and they should leave you alone!