Putting your donations to work
The San Mateo County Parks Foundation works closely with the County to determine where our contributions will have the most benefit.
Through generous community support, the Foundation has provided over $10 million supporting more than 30 projects in the San Mateo County Parks.
We support:- Stewardship of the County Parks
- Preserving and Restoring Native Habitats
- Environment Education
- Volunteer Program
- Trail Improvements
Here are some of our of current efforts.
The bill and Jean Lane Education Center at Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve
Click here to download our brochure
Take an On-line Tour
Bill and Jane Lane Education Center Groundbreaking
A groundbreaking ceremony on February 11, 2010 at Edgewood County Park and Natural Preserve put the final piece into place to start construction of what will become a showcase for environmental education and volunteerism, named the Bill and Jean Lane Education Center.The Center will open in 2010. Read More...
Inspiring a Stewardship Ethic -The Edgewood education center
Edgewood County Park and Natural Preserve is a biological wonder in our backyard. As the seasons progress, the Preserve's mosaic of habitats offers visitors a changing display of nature's beauty. 
Edgewood's location makes it an easy destination from our urban areas and a pleasant break from our busy lives. Edgewood has been saved from development in part by its unique plants and animals and in part by the efforts of many people, but its sensitive habitats are still threatened by invasive weeds and the thoughtless activities of visitors.
The education center isn't envisioned to be a destination - the Preserve is the destination. The center is a portal to the Preserve. Its purpose is to support and increase the educational efforts and volunteer programs at the Preserve, with a goal to develop a stewardship ethic in all visitors to Edgewood.
Join us as we move forward with an education center that inspires stewardship of Edgewood's spectacular and irreplaceable landscape.
Located near the main entrance to the preserve, the education center will be a green building, using recycled materials and incorporating solar energy into the design.
The center and exhibits will convey key messages about Edgewood's unique features and its geological and biological wonders - along with the role that stewardship plays in maintaining this remarkable place. The interactive exhibits, designed with the needs of teachers in mind and linked to the State's curriculum standards, will appeal to a variety of ages and knowledge levels.
Phase 1 was completed in 2005. Improvements to the entrance including parking lot improvements, a school bus entrance, a new pedestrian bridge and a creek restoration have already been completed.
The exhibit design was completed in 2008, providing construction documents and panel text for the exhibits. The work is outstanding and resulted in a $250,000 grant from the California Coastal Conservancy.
Help us reach our goal of opening this center in 2010.
Education on the Edge at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
Numerous unique coastal habitats are found at the narrow 3 mile strip that forms the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve - including coastal bluff, sandy beaches, intertidal rocky reef and marsh. The Reserve's rich species diversity -- 439 species of marine plants and animals have been found there -- and easy access to the reef tide pools, makes it a popular destination for residents, visitors, schools and scientists.
For over 30 years, the Friends of Fitzgerald have been providing docent tours for schools and the week-end visitor.
Help us support this popular educational program by donating to the campaign to replace the failing earthen stairs to Seal Cove.
This access point provides an alternative to the entrance at Moss Beach and is preferred by docents when the harbor seals are resting or giving birth to new pups. The harbor seals are very sensitive human disturbance. Using the Seal Cove stairs gives docents a chance to show the students the seals from the bluff but keep their distance when on the reef. This helps the docents convey the important message about how to visit and respect wildlife at the same time.
These educational messages instill a stewardship ethic that stays with the visitor - whether student or adult - forever. Inspiring and educating visitors, fostering protection of the Reserve and increased preservation of the ecosystem will be the ultimate impact of our work there.
Supporting the Volunteer program
With your gifts, the Foundation has always supported the volunteer program in the County Parks. With volunteerism on the rise, this is the time to significantly step up our support.
There are already many dedicated volunteers helping the County Parks, from those who volunteer one day a year to those who are in the parks seemingly every day. But there are many more opportunities that can be developed to provide meaningful and on-going volunteer activities to help the parks.
However, developing these activities requires funding. The projects have to be planned, tools and materials acquired, and crew leaders trained.
Increasing our support this year means that there is funding for:
- Tools for the volunteers who help restore habitat or trails
- Purchasing trees and native plants for volunteers to plant
- Training and teaching tools for docents that lead educational programs
- Training and supplies for trail patrol volunteers
- Increased community outreach and collaboration so more people can get involved
Green Force Conservation Crew
Volunteers are only one smart option the San Mateo County Parks Department is pursuing to keep our parks healthy.
This past summer a partnership of the Foundation, Job Train, Student Conservation Association, and the San Mateo County Parks Department launched a pilot youth job training program -- the Green Force Conservation Crew. Thirty high school-aged youth worked on habitat protection projects and completed many important improvements to trails, youth day-camp sites and picnic areas – at the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Flood, Huddart, San Bruno Mountain, and San Pedro Valley County Parks.
In addition to improving the park experience for visitors, students earned summer income, learned some useful skills and were provided an out-of-doors adventure while performing important park maintenance work. Since it was such an overwhelming success, we want to double our support for the Green Force Conservation Crew in the coming year.
Check out what the media has to say about the Green Force Conservation Crews:San Mateo County Times
Bay Nature
You can donate to support these important projects by clicking here. For more information, Email Julia Bott (Click on "Contact Us" below)or call her at (650)321-5812
