Midpen staff operate a remote control mower to create defensible space at Pulgas Ridge Preserve. (Leigh Ann Gessner)

Wildland Fire Resiliency

Midpen staff operate a remote control mower to create defensible space at Pulgas Ridge Preserve. (Leigh Ann Gessner)

Wildland fire prevention, preparation and response are part of Midpen's ongoing land stewardship. We reduce wildland fire severity and risk in our region by managing vegetation in the preserves with a focus on ecological health and wildland fire resilience, in alignment with our mission and policies.

Over the last 5 years, Midpen’s Wildland Fire Resiliency program has been proactively expanding and routinely maintaining environmentally sensitive vegetation management projects in the preserves to promote healthy, resilient, fire-adapted ecosystems; reduce wildland fire risk; and facilitate the response of fire agencies.

Before new projects begin, biologists and archeologists conduct surveys to identify and protect sensitive plants, animals and cultural sites. Non-native and invasive plants are prioritized for removal over more fire-adapted native plant species. 

Natural Resources Protection and Restoration
Natural Resources
Wildland Fire Resiliency
Wildland Fire Resiliency

Goals and Objectives

Since 2021, Midpen has been proactively expanding our environmentally sensitive vegetation management six-fold over the next decade with our Wildland Fire Resiliency Program in order to:  

  • Promote healthy, resilient, fire-adapted ecosystems
  • Reduce wildland fire risk
  • Facilitate the response of fire agencies

The Wildland Fire Resiliency Program has four main elements: 

  • Vegetation Management Plan
    Expanding environmentally sensitive vegetation management into new areas of our preserves for ecological health and public safety. 
  • Preserve Maps to Assist Fire Agencies (Pre-plan and Resource Advisor maps)
    Updated and expanded preserve maps provide critical information to fire agencies responding to wildland fire events, including water sources, roads and gates and sensitive natural and cultural resources. 
  • Monitoring Plan
    Collecting scientific data and monitoring to ensure the program is adaptable and meeting our goals.
  • Prescribed Fire Plan
    Reintroducing prescribed fire and pile burning to Midpen’s land management toolbox in 2024, in partnership with Cal Fire. Watch a presentation here on the prescribed fire aspect of the program from a July 2022 virtual community open house event. 

Watch a presentation providing an overview of Midpen's Wildland Fire Resiliency Program from Midpen board meeting held April 8, 2026:

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Current Projects

As part of Midpen’s ecological approach to vegetation management, we are careful not to impact sensitive plants and wildlife. 

 

Ongoing Work

 

Recently Completed Project Highlights

Image of Midpen staff managing a pile burn
Trained Midpen staff successfully burned 30 piles of excess vegetation in a closed area of La Honda Creek Preserve on May 4, 2026 to support forest health and help maintain a community escape route.
Roadside brush removal
Crews in Sierra Azul removed roadside vegetation within closed kangaroo rat habitat to reduce wildfire fuels, aerate soil and enhance the habitat for Santa Cruz kangaroo rats.
Before and after photos showing the effects of vegetation removal in a portion of Thornewood Open Space Preserve.
Vegetation management work at Thornewood Open Space Preserve to create shaded fuel break.
Before and after photo collage showing effect of vegetation removal at a site
Vegetation management work done at Russian Ridge and Monte Bello Preserves to maintain emergency escape routes.
Yellow grassy hillside with brush
Cherry Springs area before 2024 prescribed burn
Fire fighters standing along hillside after prescribed fire
Cherry Springs area during 2024 prescribed burn
Green field cleared of coyote brush
Cherry Springs area after 2024 prescribed burn
Hill with felled eucalyptus trees
Eucalyptus trees were removed from a 2.5 acre site near Lexington Reservoir. (Frances Freyberg)
Vegetation management work done through the Los Gatos Creek Watershed Collaborative in 2024 (D Manson)
Vegetation management work done through the Los Gatos Creek Watershed Collaborative in 2024 (D Manson)
Vegetation management work done through the Los Gatos Creek Watershed Collaborative in 2024 (D Manson)
Vegetation management work done through the Los Gatos Creek Watershed Collaborative in 2024 (D Manson)
Hill covered in wood chips with douglas fir trees
In Bear Creek Redwoods, crews removed douglas fir trees originally planted to be harvested as Christmas trees. The site will be restored to a native oak woodland increasing the land's resiliency to wildfires. (Frances Freyberg)
Trees branch with no growth
In Bear Creek Redwoods, the overgrown trees were planted closely together, limiting sunlight from reaching lower branches and the forest floor. (Frances Freyberg)
Before and after photo of forest health work in Bear Creek Redwoods.
Forest health work in Bear Creek Redwoods completed through the Los Gatos Creek Watershed Health Collaborative. Work completed in July and August 2023.
Vegetation management work at Russian Ridge in June and July of 2023
Vegetation management work as part of the Integrated Pest Management Program at Russian Ridge in June and July of 2023
Before and after photos of fuel break work at Saratoga Gap
Midpen staff maintained an existing fuel break along Charcoal Road in Saratoga Gap Preserve from winter 2022 and was completed in June 2023.
Vegetation Management Russian Ridge 2022
Fuel reduction work at Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve parking lot was completed at the end of September 2022
Vegetation Management El Corte de Madera 2022
Fuel reduction work at El Corte de Madera Open Space Preserve parking lot was completed at the end of September 2022
Vegetation Management Windy Hill 2022
Fuel reduction work at Windy Hill Open Space Preserve was completed at the end of September 2022
before and after photo of dead tree limbs cleared from Deer Hollow Farm
Rancho San Antonio, November 2021. Diseased, broken and dead tree limbs and additional accumulated material were removed from the area around the Deer Hollow Farmhouse.
Pulgas Ridge Preserve Fuel Break, October 2021.
Pulgas Ridge Preserve Fuel Break, October 2021. Eight acres, building on previous work done along the eastern preserve boundary. Included invasive species removal. Funded in part by a State Coastal Conservancy grant.
New fuel break along the Mora Trail on the northern boundary of Rancho San Antonio Preserve, September 2021.
New fuel break along the Mora Trail on the northern boundary of Rancho San Antonio Preserve, September 2021.
Shaded fuel break in Coal Creek Preserve. (Craig Beckman)
New shaded fuel break in Coal Creek Preserve, summer 2021. Along 2.5 miles of existing roads and trails. Partnership with California Conservation Corps. Funded by a Prop 68 grant.
Mechanical and manual fuel treatment of a 2 acre shaded fuel break area located in the southeastern corner of Hawthorns in June 2023.
Mechanical and manual fuel treatment of a 2 acre shaded fuel break area located in the southeastern corner of Hawthorns in June 2023.
Before and after photo of forest health work in Bear Creek Redwoods.
Forest health work in Bear Creek Redwoods completed through the Los Gatos Creek Watershed Health Collaborative. Work completed in July and August 2023.
Before and after photos show vegetation removal along side of road
Vegetation management work at Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve along Rapley Ranch Road and Highway 35 was completed in October 2024.
Highway 84 project

Project Updates and Related Stories

Partners

Midpen staff work cooperatively with neighbors, fire agencies and regional fire safe councils on fire prevention and preparedness efforts. The Midpen board of directors has this identified this work as an objective within strategic goal of protecting the positive environmental values of open space land. 

Local fire departments (such as Palo Alto, Woodside Fire Protection District, and Santa Clara County), and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) are the agencies in our region that are responsible for fire suppression. Cal Fire’s role is supplemented by statewide mutual aid agreements for large wildland fire events.

 

Documents and Reports

Neighbor Defensible Space Permit Guidelines

Wildland Fire Resiliency Program: Introduction, Background and Policies

Wildland Fire Resiliency Program: Vegetation Management Plan

Wildland Fire Resiliency Program: Prescribed Fire Plan

Wildland Fire Resiliency Program: Fire Pre-plan and Resource Advisor Maps

Wildland Fire Resiliency Program: Monitoring Plan

Wildland Fire Resiliency Program: Maximum Acreage of Annual Treatment

Wildland Fire Management Policy

Final Environmental Impact Report-Wildland Fire Resiliency Program

Addendum to the Final Environmental Impact Report-Wildland Fire Resiliency Program

Photo Series for Quantifying Natural Fuels on Midpen Lands

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