Published July 3, 2025
Every two years, Midpen awards grants to organizations that boost environmental understanding and protection, strengthen the environmental sector, increase access to the outdoors and improve nature education for the public.
Creekside Science, a Los Gatos-based restoration organization, was selected as one of the grantees in 2021. They are an organization focused on solution-based conservation related to threatened and endangered species, habitat protection and restoration and climate change. Their conservation approach is rooted in innovative science and technology.
Creekside Science conducted plant biodiversity surveys across several Midpen preserves including Russian Ridge, Skyline Ridge, La Honda Creek and Tunitas Creek.
Thanks to the Midpen grant program, we had the privilege of exploring a small sample of Midpen’s grasslands, from sunny Windy Hill to foggy La Honda Creek,” explained the organization’s Chief Scientist Stu Weiss. “Each field day was a voyage of discovery, as we searched for native grassland sites across north and south slopes, from dry ridge tops to swales, across fence lines between grazed and ungrazed areas.”
Stu and his crew sampled 207 grasslands plots, identifying 113 native and 80 nonnative grassland species. While there was a higher number of native species surveyed, nonnative species out competed natives, covering 57% of the surveyed plots, whereas native grassland species only accounted for 11% total coverage.
This number shows the proliferation of non-native grassland species, and the drastic loss of native flora. For a plot to be considered a native grassland it must be comprised of 10% native grassland species. Even with this relaxed parameter, only 60% of surveyed plots can be considered native grasslands.
The surveys conducted paint a better picture of the mixture of grassland species that cover Midpen lands and documents the displacement of native species. These findings offer valuable insights on managing and restoring California’s native grasslands.