Welcome to the
Open Space Alliance of Santa Cruz
The Open Space Alliance of Santa Cruz protects lands with significant natural and scenic qualities, including rare wildlife habitat, watershed protection features, sustainable agriculture use and wildlife linkages between protected lands. This is accomplished through education, outreach and broad-based participation in the local community and the national land trust network.
View of Harkins Slough from High Ground Organics Farm. Photo: Peter Scott.
OSA's current projects include:
- Habitat restoration on the High Ground Organics Farm adjacent to Harkins Slough in the Watsonville Slough System
- Community Green Infrastructure Campaign
- Water quality monitoring in the Harkins Slough watershed in partnership with the Coastal Watershed Council
- Preservation of Pajaro Valley farmlands and wetlands in partnership with the Wild Farm Alliance
OSA's accomplishments include:
- Raised funds to purchase the Cardoza Ranch in the Watsonville Slough watershed, established agricultural and natural resource area easements and returned the land to private ownership with the sale to High Ground Organics.
- Led the effort to transfer 125 acres of wetland habitat to the Department of Fish & Game for wildlife habitat protection as part of the Watsonville Slough Ecological Reserve.
- Raised community funding to assist with the purchase and preservation of Grey Whale Ranch
- Collaborated with other community groups to save the Moore Creek Uplands which is now a Santa Cruz City greenbelt land.
