50th Anniversary Celebration

From 50 to Forever

As we celebrate 50 years of caring for the land that cares for us, join us in-person or online to learn more about Midpen’s work and why it matters.

Over the past half-century, we have worked together as a community to protect a 65,000-acre greenbelt in the Santa Cruz Mountains in perpetuity. Throughout the year, there will be ample opportunities to commemorate past accomplishments, get excited about future projects and acknowledge many of the people who help bring Midpen’s mission to fruition.

To stay up to date with our 50th Anniversary Celebration, sign up for our monthly Plug Into Nature email newsletter and follow @midpenopenspace on social media.

Celebrating together

Helping Plants, Animals & People Thrive

by preserving a connected greenbelt of more than 70,000 acres throughout the greater Santa Cruz Mountains region.

Midpen has a braided mission to acquire and preserve a regional greenbelt of open space land in perpetuity, to protect and restore the natural environment, and to provide opportunities for ecologically sensitive public enjoyment and education. On the San Mateo County Coastside, our mission expands to include acquiring and preserving agricultural land of regional significance, to preserve rural character, and to encourage viable agricultural use of land resources.

Preserve & Protect

We preserve open space lands to protect coastal prairies, redwood forests, green foothills, oak woodlands, salmonid streams, bayland salt marshes and more, creating an interconnected landscape of healthy nature.

Conservation grazing at La Honda Creek Preserve by Frances Freyberg.

Care For

Preserving land is no longer enough. After decades of intensive human use, climate change, drought and the increased risk of wildland fire make active management critical to protect the habitat values of our public lands.

Close up yellow flowers in hand / photo by Emma Tripp

Educate

Midpen offers a variety of opportunities to connect people to open space. Learning about local places, plants and animals can help us appreciate the importance of these landscapes and our role in keeping them healthy.

a group of people walking on the Bay Trail

Enjoy

To many of us, open space means recreation and, indeed, Midpen preserves feature 250 miles of trails to explore on foot. More than half (150+ miles) are multiuse trails, also open to bicycles and horseback riding.

(Photo: Erin Ashford)

A Message From the General Manager

We are excited to gather together, celebrating and connecting at community events planned for the bayside, the Coastside and in between. We will even be online with contests and commentary to deepen your connection with nature from home. Please join us as we look back and into the future to celebrate the people, the lands and the collective spirit of our community that allows us to preserve, protect, restore, educate and enjoy forever.