Cloverdale Ranch, view from high hill.

Cloverdale Ranch

The Cloverdale Ranch property is an ecological jewel on the San Mateo County Coast. Midpen approved the purchase of an approximately 6,300-acre portion of Cloverdale Ranch from our nonprofit partner, Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) on December 10, 2022. When escrow closes on the first portion of the phased purchased, anticipated to be in June of 2023, Midpen will begin managing the property as its 27th public open space preserve. 

Cloverdale Ranch Community Field Days

Creating a new Midpen preserve at Cloverdale Ranch will take time. In the interim, we are providing some guided access opportunities (in additon to the short, open Wilbur's Watch Trail). Get to know Midpen, our work on the Coastside and Cloverdale Ranch during Community Field Days at Cloverdale Ranch: 

Saturdays, July 8 and 22 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Midpen staff, including a Spanish-speaking Midpen ranger, and docent naturalists will guide you through coastal grasslands and highlight the rich community of plants and wildlife present in this open space, and the role of conservation grazing. 

Reservations are required and will be accepted June 15 through July 6 at openspace.org/guided-activities

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Land Preservation
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Natural Resources Protection and Restoration
Natural Resources
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Agriculture
Agriculture
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Coastside
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Grant Funded
Grant Funded
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Measure AA

Goals and Objectives

Midpen has been working on the San Mateo County Coastside since 2004 to protect open space, restore the natural environment and preserve working lands and rural character. To date, Midpen has preserved more than 11,000 acres of natural and agricultural lands on the Coast. The purchase of the Cloverdale Ranch uplands aligns with: 

  • Midpen's Coastside mission to acquire and preserve in perpetuity open space land and agricultural land of regional significance, protect and restore the natural environment, preserve rural character, encourage viable agricultural use of land resources, and provide opportunities for ecologically sensitive public enjoyment and education.
  • Midpen's community-supported Vision Plan Portfolio #13 Cloverdale: Wildlife protection, conservation grazing and trail connections.

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Ecological Highlights

The property is made up of coastal terraces rising from the Pacific Ocean to the forested slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The land includes large tracts of biologically rich coastal grassland and coastal scrub habitats and an abundance of water sources that support many rare grassland-dependent and aquatic species. Learn more:

Explore Cloverdale's rich water resources, native plant communities and wildlife in this OpenRoad segment: 

 

Farming and Grazing

Like much of the San Mateo County Coast, Cloverdale has a rich agricultural heritage that continues today. The public-private partnership between Midpen and POST help preserve the Coastside's ranching and farming heritage, and locally grown food for the surrounding communities.

As Midpen takes ownership of the Cloverdale Ranch uplands in 2023, POST is retaining approximately 400 acres of surrounding working farmland and coastal bluffs, much of which is currently leased to farmers. Approximately 2,700 acres of the uplands area is actively grazed, and would be incorporated into Midpen’s conservation grazing program. 

Public Access

The existing Wilbur’s Watch Trail is open to the public, and traverses coastal grasslands from Highway 1 to a lookout point for viewing the coastline and Pigeon Point Lighthouse.

After Midpen completes the acquisition of a portion of Cloverdale Ranch in 2023, the public process to assess creating new trails while protecting the property’s sensitive natural resources will take time. A specific timeline will be established when the purchase of the land is complete. Future trail planning takes time to fully understand resources, parking capacity issues and optimal trailhead locations and will involve multiple opportunities for public participation.

In the interim, Midpen plans to provide limited access via guided walks and other programming.

Project Updates and Related Stories

  

Timeline

Jan. 26, 2022 Proclamation honoring Assemblymember Marc Berman for $8 million in state funding. 

2022 Property evaluation, partner and public engagement

Oct. 18, 2022 Public Committee Meeting: Review proposed purchase and consider recommending to the full board. (agenda)

Dec. 10, 2022 Public Board Meeting: Consider final approval of purchase with Midpen board of directors. Agenda and report.

June 2023 Expected close of escrow on first portion of phased purchase. 

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Funded by Measure AA logo

Funding

The total cost for Midpen to purchase the Cloverdale Ranch uplands from POST is $16.2 million supported by Measure AA, a bond passed by local voters in 2014. This price reflects a significant discount from POST.

Additional Funding

The cost to Midpen is offset by:

-$8 million general fund budget request by Assemblymember Berman
-$1.4 million grant from the California Department of Parks’ Recreational Infrastructure Revenue Enhancement Program
-$500,000 Measure K grant from San Mateo County