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Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for their Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour event called the Representation Matters Film Festival: Voices of Adventure at Devil’s Canyon Brewery in San Carlos, California on Saturday, September 27th, from 6 – 9 P.M.
Enjoy these inspiring films and discuss them with other passionate local people and environmental groups during intermission. Come meet their community partners Grassroots Ecology, Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance, Bay Area Ridge Trail, Canopy, Latino Outdoors, Things That Creep, and Climate Resilient Communities.
Audiences can expect an engaging evening of inspiring films that showcase the beautiful connection between people and nature. They’ll learn about local community organizations doing meaningful work in their area and enjoy diverse adventure stories that capture the spirit of exploration. It’s a great opportunity to meet other passionate community members who care about the outdoors, all while enjoying free pizza in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.
WHO IS THE 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.
POST is one of the premier land trusts in the U.S., recognized for their deep technical understanding of their local lands and their expert ability to define and implement complex land protection and restoration projects. Since their founding in 1977, POST has protected more than 93,000 acres of permanent open space, farms, and parkland in San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.
In addition to their confidential work with private landowners, they partner closely with many public agencies on the national, state, and local levels to create a strong, effective network of conserved lands that will benefit all in perpetuity.
WHAT DOES THE PENINSULA OPEN SPACE TRUST DO?
POST works to protect lands that create a more connected network of regional trails and open spaces that all can enjoy. Everyone deserves to experience the benefits of nature, and providing equitable access is a priority for them. Additionally, in collaboration with their public agency partners, they support opportunities to develop and improve public access amenities on those protected lands. POST is partnering with local government agencies and nonprofits to realize our ambitious vision of a regional trail. In 2025, they released the study results that will help them map the route. Once complete, the 40-mile trail will connect cities, forests, and coastlines, bringing health and wellness opportunities to communities across the region.
Sustainable, environmentally responsible farms are good for the land and benefits local communities. They provide healthy food options, create jobs and support the local economy. Unfortunately, 46% of San Mateo County’s farms have disappeared since 1990! Coastal farms and ranches are sought after by wealthy buyers for private estates. This has inflated land prices, making it harder for farmers to get started in the Bay Area. This is why agricultural lands have been a priority for POST, representing a third of the land they’ve protected. They work with farm owners and operators to conserve farmland and natural resources, protecting agricultural heritage and sustaining future generations. At POST, they are working to reverse the trend of disappearing farmland through a combination of land acquisition, legal land protection, and strategic investments in infrastructure.
Redwood trees sequester more carbon than any other plant, helping mitigate the effects of climate change and global warming. Protecting redwood forests helps provide a resilient, connected and rich wildlife habitat for multiple species of plants and animals. POST collaborates with other conservation organizations and public entities to use resources wisely. They also partner with timber companies to ensure that sustainable logging practices are used. 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 also 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.
HOW THE WILD & SCENIC FILM FESTIVAL HELPS
Meg Nguyen, Community Events Manager at Peninsula Open Space Trust, says that “Hosting this event helps us significantly expand our reach and connect more people to the natural world. It’s an effective way to bring nature-focused programming directly to our community, especially reaching those who might not typically engage with outdoor or environmental content. The event helps us build stronger connections within our local network of nature enthusiasts while raising awareness about important conservation topics.”
Nguyen continues, “My favorite part is definitely seeing the genuine enthusiasm and joy on people’s faces throughout the evening. There’s something special about watching an audience get drawn into these stories and then hearing their reactions afterward — how a particular film inspired them, made them think differently, or reminded them why they love spending time in nature. Those authentic moments of connection and the conversations that follow make the whole event feel worthwhile.”
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