a view over the mountain range

50th Anniversary Celebration

Sierra Azul Preserve (Weiping Wang)
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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

a man taking a photo of the sunset

#SpottedAtMidpen

Celebrate with us by sharing what you see. When you spot something cool in a Midpen preserve, post your picture on social media, use the hashtag #SpottedAtMidpen and tag us @midpenopenspace — you could win a commemorative prize!
Hikers at Monte Bello Open Space Preserve (Sharla Oliveri)

Explore Challenge

Discover the trails, history, flora, fauna and more that can be found in the Midpen preserves with open public access. Visit all the preserves — either virtually or in person — to complete the challenge!
Public Event at Mount Umunhum

50th Anniversary Events

Join us for a variety of FREE events throughout the year including a springtime family festival, an autumn Coastside community celebration, docent-led hikes and activities, and more!
backlit hikers at sunset

Open Stories

Profiles of 50 people who have a relationship with the public open space land that Midpen manages, whether they protect it, care for it, play in it, work it, think in it, create in it or simply love it.
Screenshot of interactive timeline on Midpen's history webpage

Looking Back

An interactive historical timeline takes you on a tour through Midpen's first 50 years of public open space preservation, protection, restoration, access and education.
Open Hearts love letters

Open Hearts

People have been sharing what they cherish most about having access to nature and what's special to them in the Santa Cruz Mountain greenbelt. See their memories and share your own.

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.

green forested hills

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 of General Manager Ana Ruiz
(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.

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50th Anniversary Participating Sponsors

Thanks to our partners that joined us this year to celebrate all that we as a community have accomplished since 1972. 

50th Anniversary Promotional Sponsors

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Vista from Mount Umunhum / photo by David Worthing

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