The rains have arrived, giving nature and us all a chance to exhale, breathe in again and drink deeply as nature resets for a new season. There's plenty happening at Midpen during the winter months — read on to discover what's new this month. Learn about ongoing projects, find out about upcoming virtual events and sign up for public meeting updates.
Outdoor Activities
Docent Naturalist-Led Activities
Our guided activities are back! This month features several seasonally themed hikes where you can for search wild turkeys or look for signs of fall. All activities require reservations and will adhere to COVID-19 public health mandates and current restrictions. Come join us out on the trails!
Day on the Deck
Nov. 7 & 14 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Stop by the David C. Daniels Nature Center at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve where Midpen interpretation and education staff and nature center docent volunteers will host “pop-up” events on the deck of overlooking Alpine Pond. Join us for lively conversation and fascinating natural and cultural history discoveries — all are welcome to stop by for a visit!
Visit our Events & Activities page for more information.
Project Updates
We Want Your Redistricting Map Feedback!
Like other public agencies, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is governed by a board of elected officials. Each board member represents a ward of approximately the same number of constituents. We’re now looking at the changes in the communities within our boundaries over the past 10 years and redrawing ward boundaries to ensure equitable representation. Based on new 2020 census data, updated draft maps have been developed for board consideration.
Community input is a key element in this process and is due by Friday, December 10. Our online tool lets you add comments on an interactive map to provide input, share ideas and suggest things to consider when defining the new boundaries of each director’s ward.
Let us know what you think about our draft ward maps >>
Skyline Area Parking Lot Fuel Breaks
Midpen preserve parking areas provide important strategic staging areas for fire equipment and personnel in the event of a wildland fire. In October, we began a multipreserve project to create and maintain fuel breaks around Skyline-area parking lots.
The project started in Skyline Ridge Preserve, where we removed brush, low tree limbs and nonnative invasive plants from around the preserve’s parking area — one of the largest in in the Highway 35 corridor. Surveys for sensitive plants and animals were performed prior to work beginning, and additional ongoing work will be performed to continue managing invasive species at that site.
Similar work will occur this fall and winter in additional preserve parking lots in the Skyline area that also provide important staging areas for fire personnel, including Monte Bello, Russian Ridge and El Corte de Madera Creek preserves.
Board Meeting Updates
Stevens Creek Shoreline Nature Study Area Resilience Planning
At a study session on November 10 at 5 p.m. the Midpen board of directors will consider long-term management alternatives for Stevens Creek Shoreline Nature Study Area (SCSNSA) in the context of San Francisco Bay-wide restoration initiatives. The board will vote on management priorities and high-level planning direction for the SCSNSA.
Midpen Board to Consider Johnston Ranch Purchase
At their regular public meeting on November 10, the Midpen board of directors will consider approving the proposed purchase of a 644-acre upland area of the larger Johnston Ranch property, located just south of Half Moon Bay, from our nonprofit land trust partner Peninsula Open Space Trust.
The proposed purchase would preserve coastal open space; protect Arroyo Leon creek, grazing and agricultural lands and create opportunities for future public access to surrounding public lands in partnership with the City of Half Moon Bay and California State Parks.
Learn more about this project and how to attend the virtual public meeting or provide comment.
Vision, Goals and Working Group Strategy for the Hawthorns Area of Windy Hill
Midpen is continuing a multiyear process to plan for introducing ecologically sensitive public access to the Hawthorns Area of Windy Hill Preserve in the Town of Portola Valley.
At a virtual public meeting Tuesday, November 16 at 2 p.m., Midpen staff will return to the Planning and Natural Resources Committee with a revised vision and goals for the Hawthorns Area, based on feedback received from the committee and the public. The committee will also review a draft working group strategy, which would provide a forum for stakeholders to collaborate with Midpen on identifying potential parking and trail locations at the Hawthorns Area.
Learn more about this project, and how to comment on and participate in the virtual public meeting.
Upcoming Public Meetings
- November 11: Board of Directors
- November 15: Bond Oversight Committee
- November 16: Planning and Natural Resources Committee
- December 1: Board of Directors
Currently all Midpen board meetings are held via teleconference only. The meetings may be viewed online. Links to the meetings are posted with each agenda. There is also a dial in number to listen by phone. Links are included in the meeting agendas posted online 72 hours before the meeting.
Members of the public may provide written or oral comments by submitting a public comment form.