Peninsula Open Space Trust Purchases Rancho Cañada del oro POST's Latest Acquisition Protects Strategic Property in Santa Clara County
February 11, 1999
MENLO PARK, CA – The Peninsula Open Space Trust today announced its purchase of Rancho Cañada del oro, an extraordinary 2,428-acre ranch located just one half-hour from downtown San José. The purchase is the eleventh in a series comprising the conservation group's ongoing land acquisition campaign, Completing the Vision: The Campaign to Save Essential Open Space.
With the purchase of Rancho Cañada del oro, POST has surpassed its campaign goal of protecting 12,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. This latest strategic acquisition brings the total acres saved by the conservation group over the past two years to nearly 12,500.
"Rancho Cañada del oro is one of the few easily accessible signature California landscapes remaining on the west side of the Santa Clara Valley," said POST President, Audrey Rust. "It meets all of our criteria for permanent protection: It connects existing open space, provides habitat for myriad wildlife and threatened species, and offers a terrific opportunity to work with our public agency partners."
POST is acquiring the property from Crummerland Limited for $6.25 million, a remarkable value given the intense development pressure that exists throughout the region. To achieve the $6.25 million purchase price of Rancho Cañada del oro, POST is seeking funding from the City of San José, Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department, the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority, and private foundations and individual donors.
"Rancho Cañada del oro represents a wonderful opportunity to leverage private and public money for the community's benefit," said Ron Gonzales, Mayor of San José. "I commend POST for bringing the resources together to preserve this spectacular piece of property."
Rancho Cañada del oro is home to a broad array of oak and riparian woodland, grassland and sage scrub species, from the Acorn woodpecker to the California newt to coyote and bobcat. The property provides habitat for the threatened Bay checkerspot butterfly, tiger salamander and California red-legged frog. The perennial Llagas Creek, which feeds into Chesbro Reservoir and Monterey Bay, runs through the property for more than three miles. In addition, the property features grassland meadows, rolling foothills, and canyons surrounded by oak covered ridges. Remnants of walnut orchards can be seen on the property, indicating its rich agricultural history.
Rancho Cañada del oro is equal in size to the adjacent Calero Reservoir County Park, which now covers 2,421 acres. POST's newest acquisition creates an important opportunity to double the size of this existing county park. Eventually, when open to the public, this newly protected area will offer new recreational opportunities with an expanded trail system.