In the southern Bay Area, the Santa Cruz Mountains are sandwiched between the highly developed urban flatlands around south San Francisco Bay and the growing towns along northern Monterey Bay. The natural lands of the Santa Cruz Mountains support diverse wildlife habitats and provide many of the resources local communities need from natural lands, including clean water, outdoor recreation and timber products.
The Peninsula Open Space Trust recently announced a deal to purchase 159 acres of land in the foothills of Santa Clara County between Almaden Reservoir and Loma Prieta, the tallest peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Moore Foundation supported this land deal for the property that is known as “The Punch Bowl” because of its bowl-shaped terrain.
The acquisition of the Geiger property is one piece of a larger puzzle to conserve this critical open space. While the acreage is comparatively small compared to other open space areas, it will protect important forest and grassland habitats, wildlife linkages, and water resources.
“Keystone properties like this can link incredible swaths of open space,” said Walter Moore, president of POST. “They are so important as our population places more pressure on the lands around us.”
Further reading: New land deal links 31,000 acres of open space south of San Jose - San Jose Mercury News.
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