Stories

Many of the land purchases Midpen makes today in the highly populated and developed region tie back to the first phrase of our mission: Protecting and connecting a regional greenbelt. The recent purchase of a nearly 275-acre property a few miles west of Skyline Boulevard, in the hills above

The San Francisco garter snake can be found only in San Mateo County — and nowhere else on earth.

In the early hours of Friday, August 1 a fire burned within Monte Bello Open Space Preserve. A Midpen Ranger who lives in staff housing on-site first reported the fire at 1:35 a.m.

Over the past several months, Midpen has been working on a series of improvements to Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve to enhance easy-access opportunities and allow more people to enjoy this public land. 

The future of conservation is in bright hands! Midpen partnered with Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action, giving youth a hands-on look at our work to restore the Cathedral Oaks site and build climate resilience. 

The picturesque Red Barn in Midpen’s La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve serves as a visual gateway to the rural San Mateo County coast.

Drivers along Highway 84 near Midpen’s La Honda Creek Preserve may experience one-way traffic through early August as Midpen partners with San Mateo County FireSafe Council to remove eucalyptus trees.

When enjoying Midpen preserves in the warmer months, keep an eye out for snakes. Sometimes that slow moving stick isn't a stick after all. Dozens of snake species call Midpen lands home, and we actively work to maintain adequate habitats for our fork-tongued friends.

Creekside Science, a Los Gatos-based restoration organization and one of Midpen's 2021 grant recipients, conducted plant biodiversity surveys across several preserves including Russian Ridge, Skyline Ridge and La Honda Creek to better understand the mixture of species that make up grasslands

Pollinators are an integral part of our environment, and the protection of them is of the utmost importance in maintaining and restoring healthy ecosystems.