El Toro

Authority funds will help the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council solve a complex trail crossing in North Coyote Valley between the Santa Cruz Mountains and western foothills of the Diablo Range. The project will result in a traffic study, survey, and preliminary design. Addressing a critical link between park and open space lands, this project aligns with multiple regional partners and local agency priorities of recreation and land conservation.

The Authority contributed funds to the Santa Clara County Creeks Coalition for their Santa Clara County Creeks Coalition's Coyote Creek Homeless Stream Stewards Trash Free Coyote Creek project where they worked in collaboration with Friends of Coyote Creek Watershed and other volunteer groups and public agencies to achieve a trash free creek within the 10 mile stretch between Yerba Buena Road in South San Jose and Tasman Drive in North San Jose. Project coordinators worked with the homeless who reside along the creek by having them participate in the program. Over 100,000 pounds of trash was gathered in bags, removed from the creek, and hauled to a suitable sanitary landfill.

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.