What's at Stake

Looking at a map, it’s easy to see why The Nature Conservancy has identified the upper Pajaro River floodplain as a conservation priority. Located within the Conservancy’s Mount Hamilton project, this patchwork of agricultural lands, perennial streams and seasonal wetlands serves as the last natural wildlife corridor between the Diablo Mountain range in the east and the Santa Cruz Mountains along the coast.

	Pajaro River Flooplain © Treve Johnson 2002

The Threat

The 20,000 acres that comprise the upper Pajaro River region are all that remain of what was once a vast riverland forest that stretched from the San Francisco Bay southward through the Santa Clara and Hollister valleys. Urban developers have historically overlooked what’s left of the lowlands because of its flood-prone nature. But as the state’s population continues to grow, pressures to develop this rural area are mounting..

How We Work: The Plan

To protect the corridor, the Conservancy initiated The Pajaro Project, which includes working with local partners and landowners to:

‣	Preserve the upper Pajaro River and adjacent lands as a means of protecting the wildlife corridor;
‣	Create a buffer zone around the upper Pajaro River by preserving agricultural use of surrounding land, and;
‣	Maintain the current floodplain, which will not only preserve the area for migratory birds, bobcat, deer and other animals, but will also prevent flooding downstream from worsening.

Last summer, the Conservancy took its first step in implementing the plan by making a loan to the Land Trust for Santa Clara County to acquire 480 acres of farmland near Interstate 101. Under terms of the deal, the land trust will transfer title of approximately 200 acres along the Carnadero Creek and Pajaro River to the Santa Clara Valley Water District. Use of the remaining property will be restricted to agriculture.

Now, with a grant of $3.2 million from the Department of Water Resources, The Nature Conservancy will work with its partners and the community to purchase additional properties and conservation easements in the floodplain from willing landowners.

Our Partners

‣	The Land Trust for Santa Clara County
‣	The Santa Clara Valley Water District
‣	The Santa Clara County Open Space Authority.
‣	The San Benito Agricultural Land Trust
‣	The American Farmland Trust