Thanks to the foresight and relentless dedication of our founders, and the generosity of countless donors, volunteers, funders, partners, and sponsors, we have conserved over 40,000 acres of the lands you love throughout Monterey County! Every acre we preserve, care for, and make accessible; every action we take to support climate resiliency and biodiversity; and every person that experiences open spaces for the first time depends on someone who cares enough to look after what they love — and you have shown us that you care deeply time and time again.

There is too much to celebrate in one email, so you will see highlights of these past 45 years over the next several months. We will be marking our anniversary during our guided hikes and special events throughout the year — and, of course, during our Race for Open Space coming up in April. For now, I invite you to takethis interactive, visual “tour” of the significant conservation actions made possible by our dedicated supporters.

While we continue to celebrate our long history together, we can also look forward to even more growth and remarkable opportunities. Thank you for all you do to support our shared vision for healthy lands, healthy people, and healthy communities!

With heartfelt gratitude,

P.S. You can honor our anniversary by joining us for this Saturday’s planting day at our Carr Lake Park project site! Celebrate the lands you love just before Valentine’s Day by planting a native plant at our garden in the heart of Salinas! You’ll also have an opportunity to go on a birding walk with an expert. Sign up here.