POST Impact Report: Fiscal Year 2023 by Peninsula Open Space Trust

IMPACT REPORT Peninsula Open Space Trust 2022 – 2023 Fiscal Year

PLANNING PAYS OFF Last fiscal year — July 2022 to June 2023 — was incredibly productive for POST, and I’m excited to share some of our accomplishments with you in this Impact Report. As a valued donor, you play a crucial role in helping us protect the Peninsula and South Bay’s cherished open spaces. The work we carry out together builds climate resilience, protects our region’s remarkable biodiversity and creates opportunities for everyone to enjoy the benefits of nature. When I look back at all we accomplished, one thing is clear: planning pays off. We were able to dive into the year headfirst, with project after project coming to fruition, only because of the diligent planning, strategizing, preparation and relationship-building that laid the groundwork the previous year. The 2023 fiscal year was filled with notable projects. We safeguarded significant multi-benefit landscapes like Lakeside and Estrada Ranches. We actively worked toward preserving our unparalleled biodiversity by studying wildlife movement and reintroducing endangered species to our local landscapes.

cover © Teddy Miller

/ opposite l to r © Hannah Eugster, The Y of San Francisco

We continued to manage forests in innovative ways, preparing for a future with fire. And we helped create outdoor experiences with new trails, events and even opportunities for overnight stays at the Audrey Edna Cabin, which opened to the public! These examples only scratch the surface of POST’s recent work. Learn more on the following pages or visit OpenSpaceTrust.org/ImpactReport for a deeper look at a variety of these projects. Once again, we are truly grateful for your support and trust. It has profoundly impacted our ability to preserve the beauty and resilience of the Bay Area’s natural landscapes. Together, we are making a lasting difference. With warm regards,

Walter T. Moore President

LAND CONSERVATION HIGHLIGHTS

PROTECTING LOCAL LANDSCAPES • Purchased Lakeside Ranch, a 1,986-acre multi-benefit property, bringing the total acres of protected land in and around Coyote Valley to more than 8,700 • Protected 839 acres of redwood forest, wildlife habitat and working lands at Estrada Ranch near Watsonville • Transferred 5,100 acres of Cloverdale Ranch in Pescadero to Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) after 26 years of POST’s care

In these changing times, it’s more important than ever to build climate resilience, protect the Bay Area’s unparalleled biodiversity and create opportunities for everyone to connect with nature. POST prioritizes these objectives with every project we take on, and we’re thrilled to share some of our recent successes from the past fiscal year.

• Supported Sempervirens Fund in protecting the 921-acre Camp Jones Gulch with a conservation easement, securing the future of old-growth redwoods and a beloved children’s camp in La Honda

RESTORED AND TRANSFERRED CALERO LAKEVIEW

• Established an agricultural conservation easement on a 90-acre farm located near Pescadero on the San Mateo County coast • Assisted the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency (VHA) in protecting a 17-acre property at the northern end of Coyote Valley, essential for wildlife and trail connectivity • Transferred the 136-acre Calero Lakeview property in San Jose to Santa Clara County Parks after extensive cleanup and restoration • Transferred our remaining interest in the iconic and scenic South Cowell Ranch on the San Mateo County coast to Midpen after strengthening the terms of its conservation easement, including a farmhouse that POST significantly upgraded

SAFEGUARDED CAMP JONES GULCH

LAND CONSERVATION HIGHLIGHTS CONTINUED CARING FOR NATURE AND PEOPLE • Created two miles of shaded fuel break at San Vicente Redwoods in partnership with the Bonny Doon Fire Safe Council and converted over 5,000 tons of dead and dying burned trees into charcoal and biochar • Used POST-protected land for a burrowing owl reintroduction project, conducted in partnership with Talon Ecological Research Group, VHA and the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (the Authority) • Celebrated 7.3 miles of new trails opening at San Vicente Redwoods, built and managed by our partners at the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County

l to r © Hipcamp, Teddy Miller, Teddy Miller

• Leased POST-protected Pebble Beach Farm on the San Mateo County coast to Pomponio Farms, who will specialize in growing artichokes — once a coastside staple • Completed improvements on more than three miles of damaged road with our partners at San Vicente Redwoods, curbing erosion in the most critical watershed for Central Coast coho salmon • Helped farmers get back to business after the 2023 winter storms by removing large, downed trees; repairing corrals, fencing and roofs; cleaning up after flooding; and more

• Opened the Audrey Edna Cabin at Alpine Ranch in La Honda to the public, with fees supporting maintenance and partner initiatives like San Mateo County Health’s Park Rx program • Wrapped up the Coyote Valley Road Ecology Study with Pathways for Wildlife and VHA; the study used a mix of camera traps and roadkill surveys and will help guide the Authority’s Coyote Valley planning process

/ opposite l to r © Colorfool Films, Hannah Eugster, Colorfool Films, Colorfool Films

OPENED THE AUDREY EDNA CABIN

REPAIRED DAMAGED ROAD AT SAN VICENTE REDWOODS

REINTRODUCED BURROWING OWLS

MISSION MILESTONES

At POST, we’re committed to learning and growth. We’re working hard to evolve with the times and advance our capabilities, offerings and partnerships. Here are just a few organizational achievements from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023.

Attracted more than

Welcomed nearly 2,000 new donors who began supporting our mission

Hosted 4,000+ people at our events, from group outings to inspiring speakers

Conducted an open search and welcomed

four new board members

Deepened relationships with communities that have historically had less access to nature

Launched an

Welcomed three affinity groups comprised of women, Asian Americans, and the LGBTQ+ community to tailored outdoor events

enhanced digital visitor experience at San Vicente Redwoods

32,000 new email subscribers for the fifth year in a row and surpassed 30,000

Instagram followers

Supported the Muwekma Ohlone Preservation Foundation and provided funding for their foundational work, resulting in their 501(c)(3) status

FARMLAND FUTURES: Reflecting on Our Progress and Looking Ahead When thinking about POST’s work, you may envision winding trails, lush hillsides and towering redwoods. While protecting these incredible places is core to POST’s mission, conserving working lands like farmland and rangelands is, too — these landscapes are essential elements of our local ecosystems. In 2016, POST launched the Farmland Futures Initiative (FFI) with the goal of tripling the number of permanently protected farms on the San Mateo County coast. Now in the final stretch of fundraising for that effort, with just $1 million left to go before we reach our $25 million goal, we’re reflecting on what What began as the campaign represents: What began as an effort to protect row crop farmland an effort to protect evolved into something bigger, better and row crop farmland more impactful.

evolved into something bigger, better and more impactful.

The FFI has helped increase our understanding of the delicate balance between farming and the health of our watersheds and habitats. We’ve

developed a deep sense of responsibility for agricultural land and taken steps to improve its health when it was in our care. We’re collaborating with farmers, ranchers and many other partners like the San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD) and Kitchen Table Advisors to promote sustainable farming practices. Our commitment to the health of these landscapes has included projects like: • Increasing farm water storage to reduce dependence on creeks during dry seasons when fish need them most • Implementing wildlife-friendly agricultural practices to preserve biodiversity • Introducing sustainable grazing to enhance grassland health and mitigate wildfire risks • Improving important farm infrastructure like roads, bridges and buildings, including developing farmworker housing in partnership with San Mateo County • Collaborating with RCD to restore Butano Creek’s floodplain on POST-protected farmland Amidst these projects, we recognized the inequities in farm ownership and the serious problem of safe, fair housing for essential farmworkers. POST helps

to bridge this gap by making farmland fundamentally more affordable to own or lease, and by providing resources to farmers so that they can create reliable infrastructure for their work and their workers. As noted in this Impact Report, POST made significant strides in our farmland work last fiscal year. Looking ahead, POST has ambitious plans. Just a few include: • Permanently transferring San Gregorio Farm to Blue House Farm-owner Ryan Casey — a partner with whom we’ve worked for more than a decade

BUTANO CREEK FLOODPLAIN RESTORATION

ENHANCED RESERVOIR AT BLUE HOUSE FARM

• Constructing farmworker housing on a portion of Butano Farms leased by Fifth Crow Farm after helping to secure a $900,000 grant from San Mateo County’s Farm Labor Housing Loan program • Transferring Root Down Farm to its long-term tenant Dede Boies in the near future

HARVEST AT CABRILLO FARMS

Your support ensures that these critical initiatives continue to thrive, preserving the natural and agricultural heritage of our beloved San Mateo County coast. NEW BARN AT ROOT DOWN FARM

CONSERVE OUR FUTURE. DONATE TODAY. Our local lands are precious, and together, we are working toward a resilient future. With your support, we can protect and care for even more open space. There are so many ways you can help.

PROTECT OPEN SPACE YOUR WAY • Set up a recurring monthly gift • Check for corporate matching • Direct a gift from your IRA • Name POST in your trust or 401(k) • Share our social media posts

Visit OpenSpaceTrust.org/Give or call (654) 854-7696 to learn more about making a gift in a way that works for you.

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