Open space lands offer a respite from everyday life, an oasis of nature and fresh air, and an opportunity to experience and learn about the diverse natural environment that contributes to our quality of life in the Bay Area.

Purpose

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District's purpose is to purchase, permanently protect, and restore lands forming a regional open space greenbelt, preserve unspoiled wilderness, wildlife habitat, watershed, viewshed, and fragile ecosystems, and provide opportunities for low-intensity recreation and environmental education.

The District works to form a continuous greenbelt of permanently preserved open space by linking its lands with other public parklands. The District also participates in cooperative efforts such as the Bay Trail, Ridge Trail, and Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail, which are regional trail systems in the Bay Area that include District lands.

The District has permanently preserved 50,000 acres of mountainous, foothill, and bayland open space, creating 25 open space preserves (24 of which are open to the public). The District covers an area of 550 square miles and includes 17 cities (Atherton, Cupertino, East Palo Alto, Half Moon Bay, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Menlo Park, Monte Sereno, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Carlos, Saratoga, Sunnyvale, and Woodside).

Funding

The District’s primary revenue source is a share of the annual total property tax collected within the District. This amounts to about 1.7 cents per $100 of assessed property value, which currently provides $23.9 million in tax revenue (fiscal year 2006-2007). Other revenue sources may include federal and state grants, interest and rental income, donations, land gifts, and note issues. The overall financial health of the District remains strong and stable, and the District remains committed to a precautionary approach in spending.

Donations

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District gladly accepts your donation to assist in carrying out our mission of preserving open space for future generations. Donate online using our convenient and secure credit card processing system. Or, if you prefer to contribute offline, simply complete the donation form and mail it with your check to the District address. If you have questions, please call the administrative office 650-691-1200 for more information.

Please contact us if you would like information about gifts of land or property. Gifts to the District are treated the same as gifts to other charitable organizations under state and federal tax laws. Donations are tax deductible.