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On Saturday, May 17, 2025, starting at 5:30 pm, the Peninsula Open Space Trust is holding their Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour Event at the Smithwick theatre in Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, California. This free to the public event will include 9 short films about nature, adventure and conservation. The event also includes a community fair, with more than 20 local organizations (which many attendees report is one of their favorite parts) – plus falconers, music, and pizza!
WHO IS PENINSULA OPEN SPACE TRUST
In 1972, San Mateo County voters passed Measure R, creating the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (Midpen) to “acquire and preserve a regional greenbelt of open space land in perpetuity, protect and restore the natural environment, and provide opportunities for ecologically sensitive public enjoyment and education.” Herb Grench, Midpen’s General Manager, proposed forming a private land trust five years later to work privately with landowners reluctant to deal with government agencies and to raise money to supplement public funding for land conservation. With that, Peninsula Open Space Trust, POST, was born in Menlo Park, California.
POST protects open space on the Peninsula and in the South Bay for the benefit of all. Since their founding, POST has protected more than 90,000 acres of permanent open space, farms, and parkland in San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.
WHAT DOES PENINSULA OPEN SPACE TRUST DO
POST’s extensive experience collaborating with partners and leveraging funds allows them to acquire and restore land effectively. To do this work well, they rely on a range of dedicated partner organizations who they collaborate with on mutual objectives, proven methods for successful land protection, and having a stewardship team who cares for each property by promoting productive use of working lands, protecting natural resources, and creating opportunities for recreation
Their five focus areas allow POST to take a holistic approach to sustaining their local ecosystem and span the variety of open space usages in their community: Public Access, Redwoods, Wildlife Linkages, Farmlands, and Coyote Valley.
POST has set a goal to acquire 20,000 acres of redwoods for protection and are currently two-thirds of the way there. Informed by scientific studies that identify critical wildlife linkages and corridors, POST works with public and private partners to connect protected lands, restore vital habitats, and improve the permeability of the landscape, helping wildlife to live freely. They also work with farm owners and operators to conserve farmland and natural resources, protecting agricultural heritage and sustaining future generations.
HOW THE WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL HELPS
Megan Nguyen, Community Events Manager at Peninsula Open Space Trust, says, “This festival is such a fun and vibrant event—there’s so much to do and experience and also FREE!! It’s a chance to take a break from our daily routines and be transported by inspiring stories, all while celebrating the incredible natural spaces we’re lucky to have here in the Bay Area. Attendees get to meet over 20 local community organizations doing amazing work, find ways to get involved, and connect with other nature lovers. It’s a lively, feel-good night of storytelling, connection, and appreciation—and, best of all, it’s free and family-friendly, which is a rare gem for an event of this size! Last year we reached around 1,000 people and we hope to reach more this year!”
Megan goes on to say, “Personally, this is my 3rd time hosting this event with POST and it’s one of my favorite events to host because it brings together things I really care about—community, storytelling, and nature!—and creates a space where people leave feeling more connected, inspired, and ready to take action and come back year after year! Seeing all the smiles, laughter, and energy in the room gives me so much joy and reminds me why this work matters.”
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