CC 07-02-2025 Item No. 2. Project update by Midpen_Presentation2025 District Update
North Ridge Trail, Purisima Creek Redwoods (Eric Gouldsberry)
July 1, 2025
Jed Cyr, Board President
Craig Gleason, Board Member, Ward 1
Midpen’s Mission(s)
Midpen’s mission: to acquire and preserve a regional greenbelt of open
space land in perpetuity, protect and restore the natural environment, and
provide opportunities for ecologically sensitive public enjoyment and
education.
On the Coast, Midpen has an expanded mission to acquire and preserve
agricultural land of regional significance, preserve rural character and
encourage viable agricultural uses of land resources.
Midpen’s Lands
Midpen’s Board of Director Wards
•Public agency, created in 1972 by a grassroots voter initiative
•763,000 constituents (2020)
•Elected board: seven directors
•Funded primarily through property tax
•27 Preserves in Santa Clara, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties
•Preserved over 72,000 acres, 250+ miles of trails
–Over 15,000 acres of grazing land on the San Mateo Coast
•Preserves are free and open to the public every day of the year
•Main office in Los Altos + field offices
•~240 employees, ~1000 volunteers
•$300 million voter-approved general obligation bond passed in 2014 to
support public priorities
Some Midpen Facts
Project Updates
Wildland Fire Resiliency Program
Implementation
Cherry Springs Prescribed Burn, 2024
Photo: Michael Gorman
Wildland Fire Resiliency Program:
Project Area Prioritization
Ecosystem Resiliency
Enhanced Fire Management
Wildland Fire Resiliency Program
Wildland Fire Resiliency Program:
Project Areas
•Provides opportunities to engage surrounding
communities through educational, enriching
outings and events provided by our partners that
work with underserved demographics.
•Designed to allow for the organic building of
relationships and is broken into three tiers of
partnership and financial support.
Our outreach partnership program participants
include:
Latino Outdoors at El Corte De Madera (Latino Outdoors)
East Palo Alto Library at El Corte De Madera (EPA Library)
Vista Center at Rancho San Antonio (Midpen Staff)
Tier 1 - Pilot partnerships
•East Palo Alto Library
•Puente de la Costa Sur
•Coastside Children
Tier 2 - Formal contracts
•Bay Area Older Adults
•Boys and Girls Club of the Coastside
•Branching Out Adventures
•Saved by Nature
•Silicon Valley Bike Coalition
•Student Conservation Association
•Vista Center for the Blind
Tier 3 - Multi-Year, Deeply collaborative
contracts
•Latino Outdoors
In
c
r
e
a
s
e
d
E
n
g
a
g
e
m
e
n
t
Outreach Partnership Program
Highway 17 Crossings
Join Us! Midpen Events Calendar
Find us at openspace.org/events
Questions?
openspace.org
info@openspace.org
Sign up for eNews at:
openspace.org/enewsletter