We can thank the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District for 26 open space preserves totaling some 65,000 acres of pristine, gorgeous land for hiking, cycling and horseback riding, and more. This independent special district in the San Francisco Bay Area includes parts of Santa Clara, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties. The Midpen is funded largely by property taxes and is governed by a seven-member board of directors, each elected to a four-year term.
In Dec. 2022, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District agreed to a $100,000+ deal with Nomad Ecology of Martinez, Calif., to study the population of the “critically imperiled Santa Cruz Kangaroo Rat,” which had just reappeared on the Santa Clara County side of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
On Friday, the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District celebrated the opening of four additional miles of trail at the 1,400-acre Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve—which adds on to the six miles previously opened to the public.
From Hilltromper Silicon Valley...
The 2.5-mile multi-use trail improvements, funded in part by Measure AA bond money, restore watershed health, improve habitat, and create a safe route to Skyline Boulevard.
The preservation action fulfills a long-term vision to protect agriculture and build climate resiliency on the coast.