What We Do
The Coastside Land Trust is dedicated to protecting the urban open space of the San Mateo County coast, for enjoyment now and for generations to come.
Michael Wong, A photograph of trees branching over a trail.
A non-profit organization since 1997, we safeguard scenic bluffs, open space, stream corridors and agricultural lands from the southern city limits of Half Moon Bay north through the community of Montara in San Mateo County.
A registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Coastside Land Trust is the only organization dedicated entirely to the protection and preservation of land in the urban Midcoast.
Taking a strategic approach to land conservation, we:
Protect land by purchasing and accepting donations of land and conservation easements
Secure private and public funding for land conservation
Provide assistance and resources to landowners interested in protecting their land
Lead local conservation, restoration, stewardship, and educational activities
Every day, we remain dedicated to protecting our coastline and our future.
Our History
Michael Wong, A photograph of a coastal sunset
In 1997, a group of citizens concerned about the development of the stunning ocean bluffs in Half Moon Bay banded together to save that land. Incorporating as the Half Moon Bay Open Space Trust, the grassroots nonprofit began to receive tax-deductible donations of cash and property from citizens interested in mitigating the impact of urban-scale development on the blufftops.
In 2007, the organization changed its name to the Coastside Land Trust, reflecting its mission to protect the urban region of the San Mateo County coast, which includes lands within the communities and regions of Half Moon Bay north to Montara.
Our successes include helping protect the historic Ocean Shore Railroad Right-Of-Way, owning and maintaining key open lands adjacent to the Coastal Trail in Half Moon Bay, and our continuing collaboration with the California Coastal Commission and the City of Half Moon Bay to secure key conservation easements on Pilarcitos and Frenchman’s Creeks.
Peter LaTourrette / www.birdphotography.com
A photograph of a snowy plover on a beach
Today, Coastside Land Trust remains dedicated to protecting environmentally significant lands of the coast. With your help, we can protect the urban open space of the San Mateo County coast, for enjoyment now and for generations to come.