ALVISO BUFFERLANDS
The Alviso wetland area is a unique South Bay ecosystem where the Guadalupe River meets the San Francisco Bay on the San Jose shoreline. Our Burrowing Owl Forage Pilot Project there supports one of the last remaining populations of burrowing owls in the Bay Area. We are planting California native plants to support the food web for the owls in hopes to stabilize the resident population.
OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS AT ALVISO
OUR RESTORATION WORK AT ALVISO
Burrowing owls typically make their underground homes from tunnels made by other animals. For decades, burrowing owls have suffered steep population declines across their range as their grassland habitat has been destroyed or degraded by development, industry, and agriculture. The Bay Area is now one of just four burrowing owl nesting areas remaining in California.
We are working with the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency and Talon Ecological Research Group to enhance forage zones for the Alviso burrowing owl population. We are planting a diversity of native vegetation in the areas where these owls hunt for food, using plants that will attract their prey base of rodents and insects.
In an area of the Alviso property where the groundwater is slightly salty, or brackish, we are starting to test out what plants grow best including marsh gumplant, marsh baccharis, mugwort, and other dense, low-growing vegetation. With a mind to the larger ecosystem, we are also seeding test plots with milkweed that could potentially feed and house another highly threatened species, the monarch butterfly.
VISIT ALVISO
There is no public access to our Alviso work area because of its designation as sensitive habitat for burrowing owls. Specific directions will be sent to volunteers upon event registration.
The roads to the site travels through residential and business park neighborhoods where there is street parking available. Public transportation is available via VTA route 59 at the 1st St Nortech Pkwy stop which is about 0.6 miles from the site. The site is also accessible by bike.
There are no restrooms and no drinking water available at the site. It is also very exposed to the sun, with little shade available. There is almost no walking required at volunteer days, but any possible walking is on uneven ground with no trails.
Come prepared with water and a hat, and be aware of rattlesnakes, ticks, and poison oak.
OUR TEAM AT ALVISO
Project Manager Claire Grist manages our work at Alviso, along with Ecologist Hannah Cunningham. Any questions about our work at Alviso can be directed to Claire Grist.
