Published 2/6/2025
Midpen is growing its community partnerships for more outdoor public programming. Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Student Conservation Association are the newest organizations to partner with Midpen on event series for the public focused on fun, inclusive, and environmentally sensitive recreation and education.
Let’s meet the new partners!
Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Vista Center is a Bay Area nonprofit that serves people living with vision loss and provides tailored support to address emotional, functional and mobility hurdles to community members. Vista Center has empowered thousands of individuals with visual impairments through specialized programs that enhance their independence and quality of life, including accessible nature walks.
Vista Center and Midpen partnered this past August to provide a pilot hike at Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve where participants walked to Deer Hollow Farm and enjoyed an interpretive talk about the preserve from a Midpen ranger. Vista Center will be offering 2 community events over the next year focused on accessible access to nature in open spaces.
Student Conservation Association
Dedicated to environmental stewardship and youth development, the Student Conservation Association (SCA) offers high-quality programming that engages thousands of young people across the Bay Area in meaningful conservation work. Through guided hikes, restoration projects and educational workshops, SCA offers opportunities to contribute to the protection and preservation of public lands while fostering a deep appreciation for the environment and a commitment to conservation.
In July 2024, Midpen partnered with SCA to host their Community Crews program at El Corte de Madera Preserve for one week. The program provides hands-on experience in conservation and trail building for late high school and college-aged individuals, offering training in outdoor skills, environmental stewardship and career advancement opportunities. SCA is expanding their program in 2025 with Midpen for two weeks of Community Crews programming in the preserves.
Aligned with the Midpen Board of Director’s strategic goal of expanding opportunities for all individuals to connect with public open spaces, Branching Out, Vista Center and SCA are all uniquely positioned to create opportunities that ensure a wide range community members have the opportunity to enjoy and learn safely in open space lands. The exact preserve locations, times and dates of these new activities are still being determined and will be posted on Midpen’s event calendar, openspace.org/events.