2024 District Update
Margaret McNiven, Board Member, Ward 6
North Ridge Trail, Purisima Creek Redwoods (Eric Gouldsberry) May 15, 2024
Midpen’s Mission(s)
Midpen’s mission: to acquire and preserve a regional greenbelt of open space land in perpetuity, protect and restore the natural environment, and provide opportunities for ecologically sensitive public enjoyment and education.
On the Coast, Midpen has an expanded mission to acquire and preserve agricultural land of regional significance, preserve rural character and encourage viable agricultural uses of land resources.
Midpen’s Lands
• Public agency, created in 1972 by a grassroots voter initiative • 763,000 constituents (2020)
• Elected board: seven directors
• Funded primarily through property tax
• 27 Preserves in Santa Clara, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties • Preserved over 70,000 acres, 250+ miles of trails
• Preserves are free and open to the public
• Main office in Los Altos + field offices
• 200+ employees, ~1000 volunteers
• $300 million voter-approved general obligation bond passed in 2014 to support public priorities
Some Midpen Facts
Ravenswood Open Space Preserve
Photo: Jose Maldonado
Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve
Photo: Lynn Jackson
El Corte de Madera Creek
Open Space Preserve
Photo: Karl Gohl
La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve
Photo: Marcia Hakanson Photo: Randy Weber
Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve
Photo: Chris Toomey
Thornewood Open Space Preserve
Photo: Marcia Hakanson
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve
Photo: Vaibhav Tripathi
Project Updates
Measure AA 10th Anniversary - 2024
Progress since 2014
Preserved over 9,600 acres of open space
4,200 acres opened to the public at five preserves/preserve areas Opened 31.4 miles of trails to public access, with 10+ miles in construction, and 19+ miles of new trails in the planning stages
Opened 3 new parking areas, creating a total of 126 new parking spaces (Karl Gohl)
Thank you for your
trust in us!
Cloverdale Ranch Acquisitions
Phase I
(2023)
Phase II
(2023)
Phase III
(2025-26)
• Phase I (2023) – 1,800 acres – Includes the Wilbur’s
Watch trail
• Phase II (2023) – 3,300 acres – POST retaining
farms
• Phase III (2025/26) – 1,200 acres – Contains Lake
Lucerne Mutual
Water Company
Wildland Fire Resiliency Program
Implementation
CZU Lightning Complex Fire, 2020
Photo: Brad Pennington
Wildland Fire Resiliency Program
For more information visit
openspace.org/what-we-do/projects/wildland-fire-resiliency Wildland Fire Resiliency Program:
Project Areas
Youth Outreach
Saved by Nature at Russian Ridge (Midpen) Coastside Childrens at Purisima Creek Redwoods (Midpen) Spaces & Species program at
Daniels Nature Center (Anouchka Gaillard )
Spaces & Species program at
Skyline Ridge (Anouchka Gaillard)
External Partner - Siena Youth Center
Siena Youth Center field trip (Midpen)
"Thanks to the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space
District, our youth had the opportunity to be immersed in a rare environment not dominated by pollution, noise,
and bustle. Not only did they exercise and enjoy clean
air, but they also learned about some of the intricacies of our local environment. Jeff, Ellen, and all the volunteers emanated a palpable enthusiasm that created an inviting milieu for our youth. Midpen should be especially
commended for welcoming our bilingual and monolingual
Spanish speakers – everyone was encouraged to speak in
the language they were most comfortable in. For these
reasons we hope this summer was merely an auspicious
start to a continuing partnership between the Siena
Youth Center and the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space
District."
- Joel Flores, Siena Youth Center Program Director
Highway 17 Crossings
Purisima-to-the-Sea Trail
Project Description
New parking area and trails connecting the Coastal Trail on Highway 1 to the Bay Area Ridge Trail on Highway 35.
To N
Rodenticide Outreach
For more information visit openspace.org/rodenticides.
Questions?
openspace.org
[email protected]
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