Inside this issue: Wildflower species to look for in coastal preserves, how Midpen is enhancing bat habitat in a historic coastal barn and interesting artifacts unearthed at a dump cleanup site.
Inside this issue: Grassland wildflowers you can spot in Midpen's coastal preserves. Plus, read about how Midpen is preserving agricultural roots and enhancing bat habitat in an historic coastal barn, protecting watersheds and unearthing interesting artifacts at a dump cleanup site and how your Measure AA dollars are furthering Midpen's mission. Read about these and plan your next docent-naturalist led spring outing!
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Left to right: Fremont's star lily (Toxicoscordion fremontii), sky lupine (Lupinus nanus), dwarf checkerbloom (Sidalcea malviflora spp. malviflora), California bee plant (Scrophularia californica)
Springtime Blooms Along the Coast
Each year, Midpen preserves are adorned with subtle pops of color as beautiful native wildflowers begin to bloom, proclaiming the arrival of spring. With thousands of species of flowering plants in California, wildflowers can be found across a diverse array of environments from grassy hillsides to shaded creek banks beneath dense redwood canopies.
Of all of California’s habitats, coastal grasslands are among the most biodiverse. Cloverdale Ranch Open Space Preserve, Midpen’s newest preserve established in 2023, contains large tracts of biologically rich coastal grassland and coastal scrub habitats, supporting a diverse community of native plants including many unique wildflowers.
Spring is coyote pupping season – breeding coyote pairs settle into temporary dens and prepare for pups to arrive in April.
During pupping season, coyote parents are more protective of their denning areas, more actively hunting food and at higher risk for complications caused by rodenticide poisoning. Learn how people, dogs and wildlife can safely share the open space preserves during pupping season.
Ten years ago, more than two-thirds of voters residing within Midpen boundaries voted “yes” on Measure AA, a 30-year, $300 million general obligation bond to support the implementation of open space projects in Midpen's community-supported Vision Plan that protect and restore natural and working lands, improve public access, reduce wildfire risk and preserve wildlife habitats.
This year, as Midpen celebrates 10 years of Measure AA accomplishments, I am reminded of how critical this public funding support is for our region.
In addition to the overwhelming public support and new influx of funding for capital projects, what makes Measure AA a game changer is a bit harder to see.
Within Midpen preserves on the San Mateo County coast, where agricultural roots run deep, conservation and agriculture are often intertwined. Recently, a 160-year-old barn was restored as both a nod to the region’s heritage and an important habitat for rare wildlife.
Located in what is now La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve, the barn was in dire need of structural repairs for preservation and public safety. Midpen stabilized and repaired the barn while improving roosting habitat for bats inside and will be creating interpretive signs about the agricultural and natural history of the barn and surrounding area.
As part of Midpen’s mission to reclaim natural areas and restore the land’s natural functions to support a healthy and thriving ecosystem, staff recently completed the cleanup of an old landfill discovered within the preserve.
Included in the cleanup was the removal of a 1,200 pound diesel storage tank. Crews drained nearly 500 gallons of diluted diesel and removed the tank to prevent seepage of pollutants into nearby creeks.
SFCC member at a wildland fire resiliency project in La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve.
Forest Health
and Career Paths
Midpen and the San Francisco Conservation Corps (SFCC) are teaming up to expand capacity for work that increases the natural environment’s resilience to climate change and potential wildland fire.
The Forestry Corps, a new branch under SFCC’s umbrella, was created to train young corps members in land and fire management techniques.
Now in 2024, the Forestry Corps is in full force, and recently began working in Midpen preserves on ecologically sensitive vegetation management projects in multiple preserves as part of our Wildland Fire Resiliency Program.
Latino Outdoors held its first event of 2024 at Midpen's Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve in early February. Participants on the Amor y Amistad hike embarked on a four-mile adventure while making connections, chatting with friends and learning about plants and wildlife along the way.
The hike was the first of many made possible through a recently expanded two-year contract with Midpen. Midpen andLatino Outdoorshave been partners since 2015, but have reviewed their partnership on an annual basis until now.
Have you used a paper or digital map to navigate Midpen preserves, relied on Midpen’s fire map during the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire or enjoyed a virtual interpretive tour of a Midpen trail? Midpen’s expert Geographic Information System (GIS) program staff, who turn spatial data into helpful maps and apps for both the public and staff, are looking for your input.
Midpen is currently developing a new strategic plan to guide the future efforts of our award-winning GIS program, and your feedback will help enhance future services and offerings. In addition to helping visitors navigate Midpen’s more than 250-miles of public trail across 25 publicly accessible open space preserves, GIS maps and data provide geographic information that supports Midpen in operating efficiently, communicating clearly and making critical decisions.
PUBLIC MEETING: GIS staff will be presenting initial findings from the needs assessment phase of the strategic plan to Midpen’s board of directors at a public meeting on Wednesday, March 27 at 7 p.m. This meeting will be held both in-person at 5050 El Camino Real in Los Altos, and via Zoom, during which the board and attending public can ask questions and provide feedback.
Join Midpen and our partner agencies on Thursday, March 7 for a virtual public meeting on the Highway 17 Wildlife and Trail Crossings Project. At the meeting, staff will discuss the recent environmental review, which examined potential adverse environmental effects of the project. Based on the review, Midpen and Caltrans found that the project will not have a significant effect on the environment.
You are invited to provide comments on the environmental review by attending the public meeting or emailing your comments to Hwy17@openspace.org by Friday, March 22, 2024.
Meetings may be viewed online. There is also a dial-in number to listen by phone. Links are included in the meeting agendas posted online 72 hours before the meeting.
Public comments are welcome at all Midpen board meetings. You can speak for up to three minutes in-person, via Zoom or provide written comments for the board to read. Either way, get started by submitting a public comment form.
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Docent Naturalist-Guided Activities
Free guided activities led by volunteer docent naturalists offer a great way to explore a new preserve, learn about the natural environment or join others for environmentally sensitive outdoor recreation.
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