Nature-Based Learning Continues This Fall for Midland Students
Landowners whose long-term vision includes furthering conservation through stewardship are among the most important contributors to the Land Trust’s mission. We are fortunate to have many easement partners in this category, including Midland School in Los Olivos.
The Land Trust stewardship team visits every easement at least once a year. This year’s visit to Midland School became urgent after the Lake Fire. Starting on July 5th near Zaca Lake and burning until August 4th, the Lake Fire charred over 38,000 acres in the county, including much of the school’s 3000-acre campus.
Founded in 1932, Midland is one of the few remaining true ranch boarding schools in the West. Its campus abuts the San Rafael wilderness and is home to a 10-acre certified organic farm, 21 horses, 16 cattle, and chickens, all maintained by the students, school faculty, and staff.
When the Land Trust’s Director of Stewardship, Alison Petro, and Kyle Kusa, Land Stewardship Coordinator, visited Midland after the Lake Fire, it was a relief to see that the campus’ main buildings, the epicenter of the beloved alma mater of generations of Midland students, had survived the blaze.
While we can’t know for certain, Alison Petro believes that Midland’s proactive stewardship likely helped to protect the campus and surrounding areas. Before the outbreak of the fire (in conjunction with Santa Barbara County Fire and with the approval of the Land Trust), Midland had used prescribed burns to reduce the fuel load on the property.
The Land Trust acquired a conservation easement on the Midland property in late 2008, excluding 133 acres immediately around the central campus. When asked about this partnership, Heather Carreiro, Midland’s Associate Director of Marketing & Communications, explained that the income from the sale of the conservation easement was allocated to the school’s endowment, which funds multiple needs for the school, from operational costs to financial assistance for almost half of the school’s students.
For Hannah Nelson, only five days into her job as the new Head of School at the time of the fire, the process of recovery is just beginning. “Fortunately,” stated Nelson, “the main campus is intact and was not adversely affected by the fires. We now have the job of preparing for any floods that could potentially come this winter and stewarding the land for optimal native restoration. We are so fortunate to live and work in this beautiful landscape, and it is our responsibility to care for it for future generations.” The Land Trust’s Alison Petro added, “Midland’s team has been doing a great job analyzing damage and getting the right experts to help the property recover and regrow.” Midland School’s willingness to lean into what can be learned from the Lake Fire will help ensure the conservation of this property for generations to come.
