FOOTHILLS

A wide-band of low, rolling foothills (generally 200 to 400 feet in elevation) extend from the edge of the main campus to the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The foothills begin to slowly rise on the main campus but are primarily located south of Junipero Serra Boulevard and extend across Interstate 280, to Jasper Ridge. The foothills south of Junipero Serra Boulevard are generally undeveloped, but do support a number of existing uses, including livestock grazing, a recreational trail, a small number of residences, and a few academic facilities. These facilities are widely scattered and the character of the foothills region at Stanford remains rural and serene. They support a mix of grassland, woodland, and riparian areas. As part of ongoing conservation efforts, eight seasonal wetlands were built in the foothills in 2003. These were designed to be suitable for California tiger salamander reproduction and, indeed, tiger salamanders have reproduced in three of the ponds.