Spring 2024 Landscapes

CULTIVATING CHANGE IN THIS ISSUE

Tunitas Creek Beach

Opening Soon

Blue House Farm

Transferred

El Mirador

Protected

Coyote Valley

Wildlife Crossing

Grant Secured

Butano Creek

Restored

I’ve been fortunate to live on or near POSTprotected land for the last 12 years — first on the coast in Pescadero with its panoramic views and abundant farmland, and now among the towering redwoods of La Honda. I deeply appreciate POST’s work, and living on land we’ve preserved makes our accomplishments even sweeter. None of it would be possible without you, our donors. Thank you.

I’m reminded daily of the profound impact POST has had on our natural ecosystems and the communities in our working area that I’ve had the good fortune to be part of. These small, rural communities have been shaped by POST’s long-term investments, as well as the relationships we’ve forged with partners like farmers, land managers and the public who get so many benefits from protected lands.

This issue of Landscapes is packed with stories that illustrate how we’re cultivating positive change with every project we carry out. Discover what to expect

when you visit the new Tunitas Creek Beach, opening later this year. Get an inside scoop on what it takes to keep coastal farms running well and learn about an exciting milestone for our partner Ryan Casey’s Blue House Farm. Celebrate our latest protected land, El Mirador, a redwood property next to Windy Hill. Read about an impactful grant that brings us closer to improving wildlife connectivity in Coyote Valley. And learn how we’re collaborating to restore a creek and floodplain at Butano Farms.

During my 17 great years at POST, I have witnessed the evolution of our work first-hand. We’ve shifted from protecting one piece of land after another to a holistic approach that considers the range of benefits each property can offer, for wildlife and people alike. Living in the heart of POST’s working area has underscored that our efforts extend beyond preserving land. We’re making lasting contributions that enhance our interconnectedness with nature.

Warm regards,

Gordon Clark Vice President of Development

UNVEILING TUNITAS CREEK BEACH: A COASTAL OASIS

This year, a picturesque new beach will open on San Mateo County’s stunning coast, welcoming visitors of all kinds. Tunitas Creek Beach, just south of Half Moon Bay, was once the site of an environmentally destructive and unsafe party scene. Soon, it will be open for everyone with big upgrades like off-street parking, easy and safe beach access, accessible viewing areas, gathering spots and trails, including a future section of the California Coastal Trail.

In 2017, POST acquired 58 acres of Tunitas Creek Beach after locals raised the alarm about its misuse. The late Don Horsley, former San Mateo County supervisor, was instrumental in bringing the opportunity to POST’s attention and advocating for the beach’s protection. We transferred it to the County of San Mateo in 2019 with an ambitious shared vision: to rehabilitate it and officially open what was once private property to the public as a County park.

A dynamic, years-long collaboration with government agencies, environmental organizations and local communities soon followed. When the park welcomes visitors later this year, it will reflect the public’s input by prioritizing environmental protection, equitable access, education and positive visitor experiences.

Balancing the needs of people and wildlife is central to this project, and the new park will reserve ample space

for beachgoers while safeguarding the fragile creek habitat. It will also feature protected areas for the threatened western snowy plover to nest.

We want people of all backgrounds and abilities to soak in the park’s beauty. As such, a steep crevasse trail will be converted into a gentle, safe path with an ADA-accessible mid-bluff area, panoramic views, outdoor gathering areas and restrooms. Visitors can access the beach directly or by taking an easy loop trail with stunning vantage points along the way. In defining the park’s amenities, we considered the diverse needs of the coastside community, including youth and non-English speakers.

Throughout the park, signage and an audio tour will offer an engaging way for visitors to learn about the unique history of Tunitas Creek Beach. In addition to a self-guided experience, an amphitheater-style seating area will provide space for people to hear from experts about topics ranging from the area’s geology to its Indigenous history, and from its important watershed to snowy plovers and other local wildlife.

The opportunities for unforgettable experiences at Tunitas Creek Beach are endless. We know visitors will make their own memories by picnicking with friends, dipping their toes in the ocean, hiking its trails, walking along the water and taking in its awe-inspiring beauty. We are looking forward to celebrating this coastal gem’s grand opening in 2024!

BLUE HOUSE FARM is PUTTING DOWN ROOTS

Ryan Casey, owner and operator of Blue House Farm, has been farming at various POST-protected locations along the San Mateo Coast for the past 19 years. In 2016, POST awarded him a long-term agricultural lease at POST-protected San Gregorio Farm, a 74-acre property just south of Half Moon Bay, with the option to purchase the land one day.

We are happy to say, that day is here! On March 1, Ryan bought the property from POST, giving Blue House Farm a permanent, farmer-owned home.

Seeing Ryan take ownership of this land is incredibly rewarding — his farm has come a long way. When Ryan first started the lease at San Gregorio Farm, the place was in rough shape. We had just acquired it the year before and, as with many farm properties, much of its necessary infrastructure had been neglected and fallen into disrepair. So, over the past eight years, with Ryan in the lead, we brought a vibrant local farm back to life.

This is what it takes to successfully combat the loss of farmland and farming businesses in our region. While permanently protecting the land is a vital first step, we need to do much more.

That’s why, together with Ryan and his team, we have strategically invested in improvements such as:

Ryan Casey, Blue House Farm Owner

ENRICHING THE SOIL

Ryan runs an organic fruit, vegetable and flower operation on the property and has improved the soil by planting cover crops, applying compost and rotating grazing sheep on the land. These investments actively improve soil organic matter, water retention and carbon storage, while also earning the farm certified organic status.

FARMWORKER HOUSING

POST provided the elbow grease and funding Ryan needed to install four new three-bedroom, two-bathroom mobile home units for longtime farmworkers. These, along with a variety of infrastructure improvements, were made possible by San Mateo County’s Department of Housing Forgivable Loan Program, established in large part due to the work of the late San Mateo County Supervisor Don Horsley (pictured in the center, below).

WATER SECURITY

Under the lead of the San Mateo Resource Conservation District, we expanded the onsite reservoir from 14-acre-feet to 30-acre-feet (an acrefoot is 43,560 cubic feet, enough to cover one acre in a foot of water).

The improvements increase water security for the farm and alleviate the need to pump water out of the creek during dry months, helping to protect threatened steelhead trout and endangered coho salmon.

A NEW BARN AND TRACTOR SHED

Farms need storage and places to process crops, and POST was thrilled to help Blue House Farm plan, design and permit a new barn, tractor shed, greenhouses and processing shed. Ryan funded the construction and enlisted the help of his crew and friends to build it, adding the capacity needed for a solid, sustainable business.

At POST, we’re building a future where farms — and farmers — can continue to thrive along the San Mateo County coast. Supporting an agricultural greenbelt close to the urban areas of the greater Bay Area is good for our local economies, our food system, our communities, our culture and the overall health of our regional ecosystems.

A FARM STAND AND U-PICK

A quaint blue farm stand opened on the property in 2017 with fresh produce available for purchase. After Ryan built the barn, sales moved inside, and it’s open on weekends from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., serving thousands of visitors each year. Blue House Farm also offers seasonal opportunities to pick your own strawberries and pumpkins!

Visit OpenSpaceTrust.org/ BlueHouseFarm to see Ryan talk about what this milestone means to him.

PROTECTING EL MIRADOR: A SUCCESS STORY DECADES in THE MAKING

POST is one step closer to protecting hundreds of acres of redwood forest in the heart of Portola Valley. At a public auction on January 17, we acquired a 50% interest in a 356-acre property known as El Mirador. This picturesque landscape has been in POST’s sights for decades, and its protection is the result of a longstanding relationship with former property co-owner George Stern, who passed away in 2021.

Lying just north of the iconic Windy Hill Open Space Preserve, El Mirador includes roughly 200 acres of mature second-growth redwoods, extensive trails and dirt roads. In addition to its unique redwood habitat, the property also contains more than three miles of streams that flow into Searsville Lake as part of the San Francisquito watershed and has scenic, historic and environmental significance.

NEXT STEPS FOR EL MIRADOR

POST now co-owns the entire property with two other parties. Over the years ahead, we will work with our co-owners to come to a mutually

beneficial agreement about future land use and an ownership structure that both furthers POST’s conservation mission and meets their requirements. Land protection projects rarely take the same form twice, and El Mirador is a great example of the patience and creativity that are often required to create pathways to open space preservation. We’re grateful that George Stern was committed to a conservation outcome for his beloved redwoods, and we are equally committed to ensuring that comes to pass — for the benefit of all.

NEW HOPE for SAFE PASSAGE IN COYOTE VALLEY

Between San Jose and Morgan Hill lies Coyote Valley, one of the Bay Area’s last substantial, undeveloped valley floors and home to the largest remaining freshwater wetland in Santa Clara County. There, you’ll spot a mosaic of farmland and open spaces that provides wildlife with habitat and an essential route between the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range. Sadly, to make the journey across the valley, animals must cross three busy barriers: a rail line, Monterey Road and U.S. Route 101.

The many studies that have explored how wildlife interact with Coyote Valley’s roads make a strong case for permanent crossing infrastructure there.

This would aid animals like bobcats, mountain lions, black-tailed deer and American badgers as they move across the valley to find food, shelter and mates.

Now, propelled by a generous grant POST secured from the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), we are moving into an exciting new phase.

This $5 million grant will help fund the research, design and planning of possible crossing structures in the valley — contributing significantly to covering the project’s $7 million cost.

Getting here has been a long and challenging process. Coyote Valley has been at the heart of debate between developers and conservationists since the 1970s. For the last decade, POST has been working with many organizations to protect and restore the valley. We’ve protected thousands of acres of land with partners like the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, the City of San José and the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency. We are now focused on wildlife crossings, with the Authority leading the way on habitat restoration.

The WCB grant will span three years, allowing us to determine the most effective ways to provide animal

passage in Coyote Valley. Without our help, we may face local species extinction and catastrophic consequences for our ecosystems.

Coyote Valley links 1.13 million acres of core habitat throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Diablo Range to the east. Nearby, we have already seen successful connectivity projects like the recent crossing structure under Highway 17 at Laurel Curve.

The current study is exploring crossing structure possibilities along Monterey Road and U.S. Route 101, which are hotspots for wildlife-vehicle collisions. At this stage, we’re synthesizing data and identifying and evaluating solutions to improve safe passage for wildlife. Habitat restoration will be necessary, along with retrofits for existing underpasses, new crossing structures and directional fencing.

The problems wildlife face as a result of human development are widespread, and POST’s work to improve wildlife connectivity is expanding. But as we’ve seen with other major projects like the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing in Los Angeles County, building new crossing structures requires complex planning, collaboration and, of course, funding. With WCB’s funding, we’re one step closer to safeguarding the Bay Area’s spectacular biodiversity and creating connections that will support our region for centuries to come.

Read more about why Coyote

Valley is important — for wildlife, for water and for all of us: OpenSpaceTrust.org/Coyote-Valley

IMPROVEMENTS CONTINUE at BUTANO CREEK

When POST acquired 903-acre Butano Farms in 2012, the creek coursing through the Pescadero property had seen better days. In the 1900s, humans had altered its path, straightening the creek and clearing it of wood to make way for roads, agriculture and other development. The creek’s flow quickened, and fish and other wildlife struggled to find refuge. It also deepened, leading to higher banks and a deep gully while sediment piled up downstream in the Pescadero Marsh, limiting passage for fish.

These conditions cause a creek to disconnect from its floodplain. During a big storm, creeks should rise and spill their banks, slowing the water and dropping nutrient-rich sediment into surrounding lands. Floodplains are essential because they give water a place to spread out and help mitigate flooding downstream. Wood in the creek also creates more complex habitat for salmon to find rest, spawn and complete their life cycle.

In 2016, we joined forces with the San Mateo Resource Conservation District (RCD) to revive critical sections of Butano Creek and reconnect it with over 100 acres of its historic floodplain. Now, the creek can spill its banks, reawakening an active wetland where wildlife is thriving. Workers

Recently, the RCD, with funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, took their efforts a step further.

They continued their work at POSTowned Butano Farms, improving additional sections of Butano Creek.

The RCD created a four-acre area along a section of the creek that is designed to flood throughout the winter. They added logs and other wood structures to slow down the flow, increase habitat diversity for fish and help activate the historic floodplain.

This work is vital for steelhead trout, California red-legged frogs, San Francisco garter snakes and, especially, endangered coho salmon. Pescadero, which in Portuguese means “fishing town,” is a community known for its salmon. The road to habitat-level restoration is lengthy — it took decades for the creek to lose its

balance. Likewise, it will take decades before the salmon population is back up. In the meantime, our project partners are making steady progress in the right direction by releasing spawning adults and juvenile coho salmon into the watershed.

Restoring the creek will benefit farmers, too. Material excavated while widening the creek was used to build up the level of nearby crop fields, reducing the threat of flooding. What’s more, this project will include expanding a nearby pond, which offers essential water storage. Rather than drawing water from Butano Creek in the dry season when fish need it most, farmers can make use of the pond’s reserve.

POST’s work to protect and restore landscapes like this make these crucial, long-term efforts possible. With plenty of care and the right interventions in place, Butano Creek can return to its rightful splendor. It’s a win for coastal residents and coastal ecosystems alike.

Before Restoration

After Restoration

Coho Salmon Were Reintroduced Into the Watershed

OUR NATURAL LANDS ARE PRECIOUS

Together, we are creating a resilient future. Your support helps us protect and care for wildlife habitat, majestic forests, bountiful farmland and local trails.

PROTECT LAND TODAY

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