Government Preserving 6,300 Acres in Bay Area

The conservation movement in San Mateo County is having a big moment as the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District won approval to buy a 6,300-acre site on the coast.

The government agency, also known as Midpen, is purchasing Cloverdale Ranch for $16 million, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The large swath of land is on Highway 1, south of Pescadero. The property is the biggest Midpen has purchased in its 50-year history; the deal is expected to close early next year.

The acquisition is expected to happen in phases. In the near term, Midpen will buy 5,100 acres for $15 million. In three years, Midpen will have the option to buy the additional 1,200 acres. The purchase is largely being funded by state grants and a 2014 bond measure approved by voters.

Previously, Cloverdale Ranch was one of the largest pieces of private coastal property in the Bay Area. If all goes according to plan, the ranch will become public permanently.

The Peninsula Open Space Trust purchased part of the property in 1997 after development fears spread in the area. The group proceeded to buy additional parcels, spending $60 million on acquisitions and maintenance. But the group is geared toward preserving and selling land, not managing it on a full-time basis.

Surrounding state parks are in control of parts of the ranch, while POST plans to keep 400 acres for agricultural leasing. The rest of the land is headed to Midpen.

The open space district aims to open the land to the public on a limited basis next year. It will host community field days in the spring, docent-led hikes in 2024 and grant visitation by permit in 2025. Once the land is inventoried and safeguarded at ecologically sensitive areas, Midpen will grant full access.

What can visitors expect at Cloverdale Ranch? Rolling hills and valleys will be visible as more hiking trails are added to the land. Additionally, there are badgers, bobcats and mountain lions and 15 miles of streams that host steelhead trout, California red-legged frogs and western pond turtles.