From 50 to Forever: Caring for the land that cares for us. Fifty years ago, our community prioritized clean air and water, healthy habitats for diverse native plants and animals, ecosystems that are resilient to the effects of our changing climate and places for people to connect with nature – that’s what Midpen provides in perpetuity. The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District supports plants, animals and people throughout the greater Santa Cruz Mountains region by protecting and stewarding nearly 65,000 acres of public land in 26 preserves from bay wetlands to redwood forests and coastal grasslands supporting an incredible web of life making this region one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots.