Planned Gavilan campus at Coyote Valley may harm wildlife
Yujin Yoshimura
Issue date: 10/13/08 Section: News
The approval of an Environmental Impact Report on a future community college campus in Coyote Valley, green-lighting its construction, will permanently damage the wildlife there according to Julie Phillips, De Anza College's Environmental Studies Department Chair.
Located along Highway 101 near Gilroy, Coyote Valley is the only connectivity point for the wild animals that inhabit the sparsely populated area between the Diablo Range and Santa Cruz Mountains.
Ecological consulting firm H. T. Harvey drafted the environmental study on behalf of Gavilan Community College and determined that the campus and buildings would eliminate wildlife movement across the site, but also concluded that the land is not heavily used by local wildlife.
The Wildlife Corridor Stewardship Team at De Anza, headed by Phillips, has been studying animal movement across Coyote Valley for 18 months.
Through the use of field tracking techniques, GPS and infrared cameras, the team documented movement of several groups of animals; including mountain lions, bobcats and deer.
Phillips wrote in an article which appeared in the San Jose Mercury News that Gavilan College's study was based on "little if any scientific data collected and only minimal literature review," and that Gavilian Joint Community College District trustees "should be embarrassed by the lack of scientific rigor."
Gavilan College is required by the state to adhere to the California Environmental Quality Act while determining future impact on the environment.
The college has said they will install animal crossing signs on roads near the campus to address concerns over the increasing road traffic in the area.
The Gavilian Joint Community College District extends over 2,700 square miles and currently has only one accessible community college.
Located along Highway 101 near Gilroy, Coyote Valley is the only connectivity point for the wild animals that inhabit the sparsely populated area between the Diablo Range and Santa Cruz Mountains.
Ecological consulting firm H. T. Harvey drafted the environmental study on behalf of Gavilan Community College and determined that the campus and buildings would eliminate wildlife movement across the site, but also concluded that the land is not heavily used by local wildlife.
The Wildlife Corridor Stewardship Team at De Anza, headed by Phillips, has been studying animal movement across Coyote Valley for 18 months.
Through the use of field tracking techniques, GPS and infrared cameras, the team documented movement of several groups of animals; including mountain lions, bobcats and deer.
Phillips wrote in an article which appeared in the San Jose Mercury News that Gavilan College's study was based on "little if any scientific data collected and only minimal literature review," and that Gavilian Joint Community College District trustees "should be embarrassed by the lack of scientific rigor."
Gavilan College is required by the state to adhere to the California Environmental Quality Act while determining future impact on the environment.
The college has said they will install animal crossing signs on roads near the campus to address concerns over the increasing road traffic in the area.
The Gavilian Joint Community College District extends over 2,700 square miles and currently has only one accessible community college.
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