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 Sierra Azul + Bear Creek Master Plan
Project Milestones + Updates
Open House for the Sierra Azul + Bear Creek Redwoods Master Plan The District will be scheduling an Open House for the Sierra Azul + Bear Creek Redwoods Master Plan Project project during the spring of 2008 to unveil the draft Master Plan. The Open House will provide an opportunity for the public to ask questions prior to the Public Hearing, which is expected to be scheduled in the summer of 2008. The District looks forward to presenting the recommendations for each Preserve that incorporate comprehensive natural and cultural resource information as well as many comments, concerns, and desires raised by the public during the multi-year process. Please check this page for confirmed dates. Meeting notices will be mailed to persons on the project mailing list. If you would like to be added to the mailing list, please contact Jeannie Buscaglia at (650) 691-1200 or jbuscaglia@openspace.org.
Just outside the town of Los Gatos, on either side of Lexington Reservoir,
sit the District’s two southernmost preserves, Sierra Azul (“Blue
Range”) and Bear Creek Redwoods. These preserves are the focus of a public planning process
to develop a Master Plan that will serve as a guiding vision for the
land. The Master Plan will define the desired future use, direct resource
and land management efforts, and outline public access opportunities
at both preserves. Sierra Azul is vast, encompassing more than 17,400 acres. Because of
its size, the Preserve is divided into four areas: the Kennedy-Limekiln
area adjacent to Lexington Reservoir County Park; the Cathedral Oaks
area, which is almost entirely surrounded by private property and is
therefore currently closed to the public; the Rancho de Guadalupe area,
which is also currently closed to the public pending the planning and
development of public access facilities; and the Mt. Umunhum area, named
for the 3,486-foot mountain that is its most dominant feature. Although
known for its chaparral-covered slopes, Sierra Azul has pockets of serpentine
grasslands, bay and blue oak woodlands, and lush riparian corridors,
including the headwaters of Guadalupe Creek. Home to deer, bobcat, coyote,
and the federally threatened red-legged frog, the preserve also provides
exceptional habitat for the elusive and far-ranging mountain lion. It
has the beauty and ruggedness of an unspoiled wilderness and attracts
visitors seeking a more vigorous hiking, biking, or equestrian experience. The master planning process aims to provide the public with greater opportunities for recreation access, interpretation, and education, while protecting the natural, cultural, and historic resources of the landscape. The District is developing a long-term vision for these public lands and addressing opportunities for access and regional trail connectivity, species and habitat protection, safety concerns, and maintenance issues, among others. District staff and consultants are actively soliciting and encouraging community involvement from various agencies, non-profit organizations, neighbors, and constituents throughout the planning process.
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Proceedings from 1st Master Plan Public Workshop Proceedings from 2nd Master Plan Public Workshop Proceedings from 3rd Master Plan Public Workshop Results from Stakeholder Questionnaire
Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
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No less beautiful and rugged, although much smaller in size at just
over 1,340 acres, Bear Creek Redwoods abounds with Douglas fir, oak,
and madrone as well as the redwoods for which it is named. There are
also grasslands, five ponds, and three perennial creeks. Of historic
interest, the Preserve is the site of the former Alma College and once
contained the first mainland radio tower to receive the news of
the attack on Pearl Harbor. Much further back, the Preserve served as one
of General Fremont’s camp sites. Now, with its direct access to
Lexington Reservoir County Park, its proximity to State Route 17, and
its potential connections to many trails in the region, including
the Bay Area Ridge Trail, Bear Creek Redwoods can easily become one of the
Bay area’s most popular recreation destinations.
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