On September 4, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) and Green Foothills celebrated the dedication of the future Lennie Roberts Trail in Midpen’s Miramontes Ridge Open Space Preserve outside Half Moon Bay. The event honored Green Foothills advocate Lennie Roberts’ 55+ years of advocacy for local nature and farmland. The recognition could not be more well-deserved! Julie Hutcheson, Green Foothills Executive Director, said to those gathered at the event, “This trail naming is not just recognition. It is a lasting reminder of how one determined advocate’s voice has helped change the fate of these amazing landscapes that uplift us....
Call Your State Legislators TODAY and Demand They Fix SB 131, Protect CEQA and the Environment
Earlier this summer, in an unprecedented rollback to California’s fundamental environmental and community protections, the California legislature passed a deeply unpopular, flawed bill called SB 131. At the time, progressive leadership promised to clean up some of SB 131’s most damaging provisions. Now we must hold them to those promises and demand the legislature pass so-called “clean up bills” before we lose the environmental protections that Californians rely on. ➡️Please call today. You can use the script below as a guide. FIRST – Call your State Assemblymember and State Senator. Their contact information can be found at https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov. SECOND –...
Announcing the Winners of Our 2025 Photo Contest
We are thrilled to announce the winners of the Green Foothills 2025 Photo Contest! Many outstanding entries were submitted this year and it was, as usual, difficult for the judges to choose. Congratulations to Amanda Newlove, Leslie Cavaliere, and Janet Rae-Dupree – this year’s winners! Thank you to everyone who entered the contest for sharing your images with us. We are very grateful to everyone who participated. The Winning Photos First-place winner Amanda Newlove submitted a striking image of a coyote in Santa Teresa County Park. Our judges loved how the photo beautifully captures the spirit of this adaptable, intelligent,...
Why Land Matters in the Fight Against Climate Change
Green Foothills was founded by people who were alarmed by the rapid destruction of nature that occurred in the Bay Area in the 1960s. At the time, there were plans to fill in much of the Bay, run freeways over mountain ranges, and destroy natural areas along the coast to accommodate auto-centric sprawl. While many accepted these plans as inevitable, Green Foothills’ founders recognized nature’s role in our well-being and took responsibility for advocating for sustainable land use. That’s why they focused primarily on influencing planning decisions that would affect the future of open space and farmland. In our first...
Ask County Planning Commission to Deny Harmful Project Near Wildlife Corridors
Update: We’re pleased to report that on August 28, the Planning Commission voted 4-3 to deny the appeal of this project. We’d like to thank Commissioners Cohen, Escobar, Hetterly and Levy for their vote to uphold the proper process and deny the appeal. On Thursday, August 28, the Santa Clara County Planning Commission will consider whether a development application for residential sprawl on open space outside San Jose has expired and should be denied. The development would destroy wildlife habitat and put residents in harm’s way, and the developer missed the deadline to complete the application. Please use the form...
Congratulations to the 2025 Leadership Program Graduates
Congratulations to the Green Foothills Leadership Program 2025 participants, who graduated on August 10. Each participant in this year’s class of 22 local changemakers used what they learned in the Leadership Program to design a capstone project focused on environmental justice and/or conservation. They worked individually or in small groups, and the projects were presented at graduation. This year’s capstone project topics included: A farmer’s market for North Fair Oaks Access to nature for youth in North Fair Oaks and East Palo Alto Connecting Chinese speakers to nature through birding Expanding access to outdoor recreation in Mountain View Sustainable last-mile...
Take Action to Keep Energy Facilities Out of Coyote Valley
On Tuesday, August 5, there will be a public meeting about the environmental impacts of a proposed new energy facility in south San Jose. The project could be built in one of two places: on an orchard in Coyote Valley, or at an existing PG&E substation. According to the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC)’s environmental review, building at the existing substation would be much better for the environment. Please attend the meeting or email the CPUC and urge them to choose the substation location—not the orchard in Coyote Valley. What’s Happening A company called LS Power is planning a new...
Tell Brisbane City Council to Protect San Bruno Mountain
A massive industrial development has been proposed in the heart of San Bruno Mountain—a regional jewel known for its natural beauty. The area is home to a diverse collection of plants and wildlife, including three federally endangered butterflies. Please use the form below to email the Brisbane City Council and tell them San Bruno Mountain is the wrong place for industrial development! What’s Happening The Guadalupe Quarry Redevelopment Project was originally planned as a giant Amazon-style warehouse and distribution center, but in recent weeks, the developers announced it would be changed to a data center and advanced manufacturing facility (with...
San Jose Drops Plan for Development in Coyote Valley
We’re excited to report that San Jose has dropped a potential plan that could have greatly increased the amount of development along Monterey Road in Coyote Valley. Development in this area could have severely harmed the entire Coyote Valley landscape, since Coyote Creek, which runs alongside Monterey Road, is the most important wildlife corridor through the valley. Kudos to the San Jose City Council for protecting Coyote Valley, and kudos to all of you who emailed the city council at our request to ask them to avoid development on Monterey Road. Speaking up really works! Coyote Valley’s Monterey Corridor: The...
Tell Lawmakers: Protect Endangered Species and Regulate Polluting Industries
On June 30, through a rushed last-minute process, the California Legislature approved one of the most devastating rollbacks ever of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) – the state’s signature environmental law. Green Foothills is working with a coalition of over 130 nonprofit organizations to urge the Legislature to fix the worst issues with this legislation. If unaddressed, it will harm sensitive species and allow polluting industries to avoid environmental review. Please email your legislators using the form below, and ask them to fix this harmful legislation! What’s Happening: New Law Endangers Wildlife and Greenlights Polluters Last month, the State...