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North Pajaro River Agricultural Preserve Tour, 6/24/18 by Ronald Horii
These are pictures from a tour of a new property owned by the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (OSA). It's in Gilroy, just north of the San Benito County Line. It's on Llagas Creek, north of its confluence with the Pajaro River. Here's the description of the event:
"Join Seasonal Educational Aide Richard as he takes us on a behind the scenes tour of our properties. This is a chance to discover and explore these properties with knowledgeable staff that will talk about the plants and wildlife found on these properties as well as the importance of working lands. This series of hikes will be from 4-6 miles long and range from easy to moderate. Bring water, lunch, a sense of adventure, a camera, and sunscreen and/or a hat.
Join us at our newest property, North Pajaro River Agricultural Preserve. Protected in October 2014, this 284-acre preserve has been in continuous agricultural production since at least 1939 The Pajaro River is a critical wildlife corridor connecting the Diablo and Santa Cruz Mountains and provides important riparian habitat."
In 2013, the OSA began negotiations to purchase a 183.4-acre farm south of Bloomfield Avenue, owned by Anna and Jose Montes. The land was purchased by the OSA in November of 2014, with help from grants by other organizations: https://www.openspaceauthority.org/system/documents/final_Montes_Property_2015_02_24.pdf
This is now called the South Pajaro River Agricultural Preserve (SPRAP). In 2016, the OSA purchased an additional 100 acres north of Bloomfield Avenue. It was historically used for grazing and was part of the Frazier-Ellis Ranch. It was purchased from the Leung Family with a California Department of Water Resources Grant. This is called the North Pajaro River Agricultural Preserve (NPRAP). They also acquired a 4-acre property north of Bloomfield Avenue and west of Llagas Creek. The intent is to preserve agriculture on the land by leasing it out to farmers:
https://www.openspaceauthority.org/system/user_files/Documents/Grids/public_notices/OSA%20RFP%202017-24%20Addenda%201%20--%20FINAL%20(1).pdf
These were the lease bids that were considered:
https://www.openspaceauthority.org/system/user_files/Documents/Grids/meetings/06%20R-18-08%20--%20Report%20--%20Award%20of%20Lease%20for%20Pajaro%20River%20Ag%20Preserve.pdf
In April 2018, a lease was awarded to UC Farms for growing row crops on SPRAP:
https://www.openspaceauthority.org/system/user_files/Documents/Grids/meetings/07%20R-18-33%20--%20Report%20--%20Lease%20Rates%20Pajaro%20River%20Ag%20Preserve.pdf
More preparations are necessary to lease out NPRAP
This event was a tour of part of NPRAP. There are old farm buildings on the property. It consists of a homestead and dairy buildings. The house is on the County's historic inventory as the Ellis House: https://www.sccgov.org/sites/dpd/DocsForms/Documents/HHP_South_County_Historic_Context.pdf
There may be studies done to see if the historic house can be restored and opened for tours. Many of the other buildings are in bad shaped and may be torn down. The land has lain fallow since 2016. The fields were mowed and disked to cut down weeds. Tons of trash were removed, but more work still needs to be done before NPRAP can be leased out for farming. This property is not open to the public and can only be seen on guided tours like this or on work days. There have been several cleanup events here.
These are pictures from a tour of a new property owned by the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (OSA). It's in Gilroy, just north of the San Benito County Line. It's on Llagas Creek, north of its confluence with the Pajaro River. Here's the description of the event:
"Join Seasonal Educational Aide Richard as he takes us on a behind the scenes tour of our properties. This is a chance to discover and explore these properties with knowledgeable staff that will talk about the plants and wildlife found on these properties as well as the importance of working lands. This series of hikes will be from 4-6 miles long and range from easy to moderate. Bring water, lunch, a sense of adventure, a camera, and sunscreen and/or a hat.
Join us at our newest property, North Pajaro River Agricultural Preserve. Protected in October 2014, this 284-acre preserve has been in continuous agricultural production since at least 1939 The Pajaro River is a critical wildlife corridor connecting the Diablo and Santa Cruz Mountains and provides important riparian habitat."
In 2013, the OSA began negotiations to purchase a 183.4-acre farm south of Bloomfield Avenue, owned by Anna and Jose Montes. The land was purchased by the OSA in November of 2014, with help from grants by other organizations: https://www.openspaceauthority.org/system/documents/final_Montes_Property_2015_02_24.pdf
This is now called the South Pajaro River Agricultural Preserve (SPRAP). In 2016, the OSA purchased an additional 100 acres north of Bloomfield Avenue. It was historically used for grazing and was part of the Frazier-Ellis Ranch. It was purchased from the Leung Family with a California Department of Water Resources Grant. This is called the North Pajaro River Agricultural Preserve (NPRAP). They also acquired a 4-acre property north of Bloomfield Avenue and west of Llagas Creek. The intent is to preserve agriculture on the land by leasing it out to farmers:
https://www.openspaceauthority.org/system/user_files/Documents/Grids/public_notices/OSA%20RFP%202017-24%20Addenda%201%20--%20FINAL%20(1).pdf
These were the lease bids that were considered:
https://www.openspaceauthority.org/system/user_files/Documents/Grids/meetings/06%20R-18-08%20--%20Report%20--%20Award%20of%20Lease%20for%20Pajaro%20River%20Ag%20Preserve.pdf
In April 2018, a lease was awarded to UC Farms for growing row crops on SPRAP:
https://www.openspaceauthority.org/system/user_files/Documents/Grids/meetings/07%20R-18-33%20--%20Report%20--%20Lease%20Rates%20Pajaro%20River%20Ag%20Preserve.pdf
More preparations are necessary to lease out NPRAP
This event was a tour of part of NPRAP. There are old farm buildings on the property. It consists of a homestead and dairy buildings. The house is on the County's historic inventory as the Ellis House: https://www.sccgov.org/sites/dpd/DocsForms/Documents/HHP_South_County_Historic_Context.pdf
There may be studies done to see if the historic house can be restored and opened for tours. Many of the other buildings are in bad shaped and may be torn down. The land has lain fallow since 2016. The fields were mowed and disked to cut down weeds. Tons of trash were removed, but more work still needs to be done before NPRAP can be leased out for farming. This property is not open to the public and can only be seen on guided tours like this or on work days. There have been several cleanup events here.
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