HABITATS ---
HABITATS ---
habitats
The main habitats of the region are divided into conservation areas and urban parks. The value that both of these have to the overall structure of the city. The ecological land areas have direct impacts on the city of San Jose by increasing the biodiversity and maintaining the health of the species that inhabit the region.
Urban life also needs a respite into nature. The urban parks, trails, and courses around the area provide the same benefits to humans that the conservation areas give birds, mammals, and vegetation in the area.
There are several notable areas to consider in this area. The Coyote creek area is protected from development in The region. And the two creeks create a dense length of protected area that feeds and seeds a series of smaller protected areas that help to reliven the greenery in the urban landscape.
More importantly is the integration of these spaces into the human life. A series of golf courses and public parks essentially grant a living space for all of the natural species in the area.
COYOTE CREEK
The primary feed of the Santa Clara Valley is a creek stretching from the San Francisco Bay into the heart of San Jose. This is the way that most of the watersheds in the city are fed, and as such its cleanliness is of the most critical value to the people and the wildlife. The buffer zones on either side provide the habitats for many of the species that call the city its home, including the ground rodents, insects, trees, and avian species.
concerns over the water in the area.
The majority of the city sees little rain in the average year with the average slowly declining on an overall trend. However, when there is heavy rainfall, there is a significant amount of topsoil that gets lost in the runoff, as the dry soil stands little chance agains a torrent of heavy water movement, such as in the 2017 Creek Flooding, see in the right.
As such water conservation should be the top concern for the city of San Jose
THE HABITATS
APPLE PARK
Apple Park is filled with nearly 10,00 anti drought plants that reduce the need for excess irrigation. The reason for this is because the area is constantly seeing threats of drought, so the more water that is saved the better off the environment.
This massive facility needs to become one with the natural landscape, and so it has become a small ecosystem for indigenous species in the area, like the grey squirrel
TULARE HILL ECO. RESERVE
open grassland
used for preservation of keystone species, and silicon valley land conservancy operations
protection of the Bay Checkerspot butterfly
acrage: 206
acrage 116
BASKING RIDGE CONSERV. AREA
open grassland
mountanous area used s hiking and camping grounds for people.
206 acres protected from urban development by the state of california
houses several species, including the red legged frog, california tiger salamander and the western burrowing owl
protection of the Bay Checkerspot butterfly
acrage: 360
SHADY OAKS PARK
urban park
the shady oaks park is along the coyote creek buffer zone that creates a mass open park to mitigate urban growth. It provides the larger backbone for small habitats for lower mammals and rodents in the Coyote Valley. The tree line allows for the protection of the area from the industrial parks on the east side. The vegetation types include small shrubs, grass, and trees that can grow in the southern California sun.
Los Lagos Golf Course
golf course
This is only one of the many golf courses that exist in the San Jose city lines, and exists on the coyote creek perimeter, and it holds 18 holes and a forested area in between. Essentially this golf course acts as a buffer zone and an open grass area for the avian species of the Santa Clara Valley.