Hikers on the Purisima Creek Trail in Midpen's popular Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve. (Randy Weber)

Purisima Creek Redwoods Comprehensive Use and Management Plan

Midpen is creating a comprehensive plan to responsibly guide public access, restoration and land management at Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve. 

The Comprehensive Use and Management Plan brings together new public access projects, environmental restoration projects, wildfire resiliency, agricultural uses, and other ongoing land management uses into a unified, long-term vision for this preserve. These new and ongoing projects are designed to serve both people and ecosystems at this popular preserve. 

Under the Comprehensive Plan, four new projects are proposed that would provide enhanced public access and recreation opportunities within the preserve.

In conjunction with the new public access projects, the Irish Ridge Restoration Plan will aim to improve the ecosystem in a section of the preserve that has been degraded by the presence of invasive species. Restoration of this section of the preserve will help enhance wildland fire resiliency in the future.

This comprehensive plan brings together years’ worth of technical studies, resource analysis, community feedback and regional collaboration with partners. The community and partners will continue to have multiple opportunities for feedback and participation in the process of creating the comprehensive plan.  

Natural Resources Protection and Restoration
Natural Resources
Public Access, Education, and Outreach
Public Access
Agriculture
Agriculture
Supports Climate Action Plan Implementation
Climate Action Plan
illustration of the sun setting over hills
Coastside
Wildland Fire Resiliency
Wildland Fire Resiliency

Goals and Objectives

The Comprehensive Use and Management Plan establishes a long-term, integrated vision that balances Midpen’s braided mission of resource protection, the preservation of agricultural land and ecologically sensitive public access at this preserve. 

Goals for this project include:

  • Streamline the planning and environmental review process for several projects taking place in Purisima Creek Redwoods by creating a single, comprehensive plan for the preserve.
  • Creating new trail alignments in support of regional trail connections, such as the Bay Area Ridge Trail, California Coastal Trail, Purisima-to-the-Sea Trail, and future proposed Bay to Sea Trail. 
  • Providing new and expanded parking areas at this beloved preserve, where parking demand often exceeds availability during peak visitation hours.
  • Improving sections of the preserve that have been degraded by invasive species by enabling large-scale restoration projects to take place.
  • Providing an outline to guide wildfire resiliency projects at this large preserve.

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Timeline

2004

Midpen boundaries expand to include the San Mateo County Coast after a vote by residents.

2004-2020Midpen works in a public-private partnership with POST, preserving a corridor of open space from Purisima Creek Redwoods to the coast. 
2020-2025Design development, public outreach and stakeholder engagement for the various projects included under the Comprehensive Use and Management Plan.
August 26, 2025Public Committee Meeting: Review plan elements with Midpen's Planning and Natural Resources Committee, which will consider forwarding the plan elements to the full Board of Directors for further review.
Fall 2025Public Board Meeting: Review plan elements with full Midpen Board of Directors, which will consider initiating CEQA environmental review.
Fall 2025Staff will continue to refine the plan based on feedback from the Board and the public. 
Spring 2026 Public comment periods open for environmental review and Comprehensive Use and Management Plan.
Summer 2026Public Board meeting to consider certification of the CEQA environmental review document and approval of the Comprehensive Use and Management Plan.

 

Funded by Measure AA 2014 Open Space Bond

Funding

This project is supported by Measure AA, a 30-year, $300 million bond passed by local voters in 2014 to support Midpen’s community-created Vision Plan's top 25 priorities.

Purisima-to-the-Sea Trail and Parking Area Funding Partners

The California Coastal Conservancy awarded Midpen a $300,000 grant to fund initial feasibility studies for the Purisima-to-the-Sea Trail and Verde Road parking lot in 2021. Future grants to support the project will be sought. 

Bay Area Ridge Trail Connection and Parking Area Expansion Funding Partners

Funding for the Bay Area Ridge Trail Connection and Parking Area Expansion feasibility study was provided by a $114,000 grant from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, $50,000 from the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) and a $14,000 contribution from Bay Area Ridge Trail. 

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