On September 1, Green Foothills and a coalition of 23 other environmental and community organizations released the following joint statement and press release. Our coalition is calling on Redwood City to include specific and measurable climate adaptation actions in their Climate Action Plan Update for 2030. Read news coverage of our joint statement.

By Maureen Draper The war on insects is not one we want to win, as Douglas W. Tallamy writes in his new book, Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard. I’ve been in the Green Foothills community for many years and thought other members of this wonderful community would enjoy key learnings from his book. Insects are essential pollinators of 87.5 percent of all plants and 90 percent of all flowering plants. Just as important, birds depend on insects. Baby birds must be fed insects, and in great numbers. It takes hundreds of trips...

Since 2013, Green Foothills has been hosting an annual cohort of activists who service both Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties through the Community Advocates Leadership Academy (CALA). During this 8-month program, Green Foothills shares internal expertise on how to conduct effective advocacy in the benefit of land conservation while exploring the ways in which environmental movements intersect with matters of race and equity. Participants are challenged to exercise knowledge from their own experience and areas of expertise, revealing keen understandings around social justice, community engagement, environmental justice, and structural inequality.  The CALA 2020 cohort is a group of 20...

Measure T, which will renew funding for the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, will be on the ballot for most Santa Clara County voters this November. Volunteers are needed to help get the word out about this important ballot measure to protect and restore local open space! Volunteer for the Measure T campaign Measure T is a renewal of the 2014 initiative, Measure Q. In its first five years, Measure Q funded the protection of over 26,000 acres of open space by the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority – including the once-in-a-generation acquisition of almost 1,000 acres of...

Dear Green Foothills Community, Our hearts go out to those impacted by the massive CZU and SCU wildfires. Although the full extent of the impact is unknown, thousands of people had to flee their homes and too many do not have a home to go back to. Compounding stress is taking a toll on the entire community. The life cycles of many plants and trees depend on fire. California tribes knew this and practiced cultural burns for thousands of years to stimulate growth and biodiversity. It’s understood that many decades of fire suppression have created conditions that, combined with climate...

By Amah Mutsun Land Trust staff On the evening of August 5th, 446 guests attended the Protecting Sacred Landscapes online event to learn about the cultural and ecological importance of Juristac in Santa Clara County and Medicine Lake in Siskiyou County. A video of the full event is now available! The inspirational event was hosted by the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band and Green Foothills, and cosponsored by nine other organizations (listed below). Julisa Lopez of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band was MC for the evening. “I want to highlight the importance of Juristac to us. It’s very very close to...

In the foothills just west of Cupertino, the Lehigh Permanente Quarry forms a 3500-acre scar in the otherwise green and undeveloped hillsides of the Santa Cruz Mountains. For decades, mining operations there have discharged toxic selenium into Permanente Creek and contributed to air pollution, noise, and dust in the region. Up until now, Lehigh’s mining operations were expected to cease in 2025. Now, however, Lehigh has applied to Santa Clara County for an expansion of mining operations that will last until 2050, destroy the ridgeline bordering Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, and add about 200,000 truck trips every year...

If you haven’t yet heard the exciting news, we’ve got a truly wonderful line-up of talented speakers, activists, and musicians on Sunday, September 27, to assure that our first-ever virtual fundraiser, our 17th annual Nature’s Inspiration community celebration, will be an engaging program and rockin’ success! Not only do we have a personal appearance and acoustic performance by Raul Pacheco, founder of Grammy Award-winning band, Ozomatli, but we also will be showing a few of the bands latest “Quarantunes” music videos. Also scheduled to join us for the occasion is Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Neil Young, who will...

Speak up for the protection of wildlife habitat, drinking water quality, and responsible public access in the San Francisco Peninsula Watershed. Send an email to the San Francisco Planning Department using the form below, by Monday, August 10, in support of the proposed Bay Area Ridge Trail extension that improves the existing docent program for hikers, cyclists and equestrians along the Fifield Cahill ridge trail north of Highway 92 and extends the Bay Area Ridge Trail along Skyline Boulevard south of Highway 92.  What’s Happening The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) proposes to improve and develop recreational trails in...

You are invited to join us on September 27 from 5:00-6:30pm for our virtual celebration of Valentin Lopez, Chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. In the spirit of our traditional celebration, enjoy: Musical performance from Grammy award-winning Ozomatli, Neil Young, and Indigenous vocalist Calina Lawrence Guest appearances by prominent local leaders including County Supervisor Joe Simitian and Muwekma Ohlone Tribe of the San Francisco Bay Area Chairwoman Charlene Nijmeh Silent online auction with chances to win exclusive getaways, instant wine cellars, or even signed Ozomatli memorabilia Delicious pie from Pescadero’s Pie Ranch or San Jose’s The Giving Pies with...