From Protection to Possibility in the Upper Pajaro Valley

Big landscapes shape big possibilities, even in the face of climate extremes, habitat loss, and species decline. That’s why purchasing 668 acres on the Santa Clara–San Benito county line is such a meaningful step forward. Nestled within the Soap Lake floodplain along the Upper Pajaro River, this land expands our efforts just south of our traditional working area and offers a rare opportunity to do more. Here, we can support a working landscape where agriculture, habitat restoration and wildlife movement thrive together, even as conditions change. Moreover, it’s a powerful reminder that it’s not too late to safeguard the ecological diversity that makes our region shine.

Understanding a Rich, Living Landscape

Not so long ago, this landscape looked remarkably different. It supported some of California’s most threatened lowland habitats, including seasonal wetlands, perennial streams, riparian forests, lakes, ponds, and marshes. Now, much of the region hosts active agricultural lands, with some remnant habitats remaining.

Here’s what the landscape and some of its inhabitants look like today:

Working alongside partner organizations—The Nature Conservancy, the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency, the San Benito Agricultural Land Trust, and others—we’re eager to help the land reach its fullest potential. We envision a future where restored habitat and agriculture support one another, creating a landscape that works for both people and wildlife.

Learning from the Land

Building on our regional wildlife connectivity study, an assessment that mapped how animals move across the landscape, POST has completed initial biological surveys in this area. Early findings confirm an impressive diversity of species.

When we visited the site in April 2025, it was already buzzing with life. Raptors like Swainson’s hawks, northern harriers, white-tailed kites, and red-tailed hawks soared overhead, a good sign of plenty of small mammals below. In the fields and along stretches of wetland and stream, we spotted songbirds like red-winged blackbirds, western meadowlarks, song sparrows, loggerhead shrikes, and American pipits going about their day. Biologists even spotted a rare plant, the San Joaquin spearscale, which thrives in the alkaline, or salty, soil conditions found on the property. 

The signs of wildlife didn’t stop there. Camera traps and tracks show coyotes, jackrabbits, and even the occasional deer passing through. With restoration efforts and the right conditions, other animals like burrowing owls and American badger might find the area more attractive, too. 

A Landscape Ready for Renewal

The Upper Pajaro Valley plays an important role in connecting the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range: two major landscapes that wildlife depend on. Ribboning through the region is the Pajaro River, which acts as a natural wildlife corridor. Via this route, animals can move safely between these two major mountain systems. 

Over time, however, much of the valley floor and river system have become degraded. That’s where the opportunity comes in. By studying water flow and groundwater levels, monitoring wildlife and assessing vegetation, we’re building a clearer picture of what this landscape needs to thrive again. This science will guide future restoration efforts and help shape a more resilient landscape.

Restoration for All 

No matter what, we know our restoration plans will support the plant and animal species who depend on the land. They’ll also support nearby communities by helping sustain healthier ecosystems and agricultural uses that work in harmony with the land.

Here’s what this could look like in practice:

• enhancing wildlife connectivity, 
• restoring riparian and wetland habitats, 
• improving water quality, 
• caring for cultural resources, 
• Storing water to protect surrounding communities from flooding
• supporting compatible agricultural uses.

Collaboration at the Heart of the Work

This landscape straddles the border of Santa Clara and San Benito counties. It also exists within the ancestral lands of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. As we begin working more in San Benito County, we’re excited to build deeper partnerships with groups like the San Benito Agricultural Land Trust, the local Resource Conservation District, and the Amah Mutsun Land Trust. Working together helps ensure that what we do here reflects not just the land’s ecological value, but its cultural and community priorities, too.

To guide that effort, we’ve also brought together a Technical Advisory Committee. This group of regional partners and experts are helping shape a thoughtful, locally informed path forward.

A Hopeful Beginning

Over the next two years, we’ll continue to shape plans for restoration and agricultural land use. From there, we hope to begin implementing restoration projects on the ground.

While we are still in the early stages of planning, permanently protecting this land has already begun to reshape the region’s future. With these acres preserved forever, there is newfound hope for the wildlife who rely on the Upper Pajaro Valley and a strong foundation for the transformative restoration work to come.