Farm tractors, as shown in the photo, used to rule this landscape but now share the roads with heavy commute traffic. Riders were brought face to face with the encroachment of development onto the agriculture lands and open space of the greater south San Jose area. The photo shows farmland along the route that is very close to Coyote Ridge. It is being sold for retail space. Greenbelt Alliance is working to help citizens of Morgan Hill adopt an urban growth boundary to protect the city's agricultural heritage.
Retail development threatens farmlands.
View from Metcalf Road. If you look closely at the photo you can see portions of Metcalf Road as it winds down to the valley floor. The climb took us through a portion of Coyote Ridge which contains the largest outcropping of serpentine soil in the entire Bay Area. Coyote Ridge is home to the Bay Checkerspot Butterfly, among other rare and endangered species. Photos and text by Mike Kahn.