At a time when posh homes are being developed all around Morgan
Hill, Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) announced Wednesday the
successful protection of the scenic 865-acre Blair family cattle
ranch in Morgan Hill along Uvas Road, southwest of Coyote
Valley.
At a time when posh homes are being developed all around Morgan Hill, Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) announced Wednesday the successful protection of the scenic 865-acre Blair family cattle ranch in Morgan Hill along Uvas Road, southwest of Coyote Valley.
Walter Moore, executive vice president POST, said his agency keeps an eye out for how to create connections between existing open spaces.
“The Blair Ranch is good connection to the neighboring Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve and will become public parkland,” said Moore. “I think Blair ranch is one of the last of the heritage ranches that POST hopes to protect in the Western Santa Clara County Foothills.”
Funding for the project included Moore Foundation gave a $2 million grant towards acquisition of the land, while the Coastal Conservancy provided $4.3 million, including a $2 million no-interest bridge loan to the Open Space Authority to be repaid within three years.
POST partnered with the Santa Clara County Open Space Authority and negotiated the purchase of the land for $8.65 million from the Blair family, which owned the ranch since the 1950s.
The Blairs to continue owning an adjacent 126 acres where they currently live.
“When we decided to sell the property we actually contacted our neighbors, but when people heard we would sell the ranch, people told POST about it and we eventually decided we could make a win-win deal with POST,” said Richard Blair. “The public will love the open space. It’ll be great for riding your horse all across the stretch of hills instead of in a circle.”
Endangered species habitats that will protected in the ecosystem there include the Bay checkerspot butterfly, California tiger salamander and California red-legged frog.
“With this acquisition, nearly 7,500 acres of adjoining open space will be protected,” said a press release by Patrick Congdon, general manager of the Open Space Authority. “The addition of the ranch to Rancho Cañada del Oro will help create a future trail and wildlife corridor through Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve and Calero, Uvas Reservoir, Uvas Canyon and Almaden Quicksilver county parks.”
