A Walk with Filoli’s
Natural Lands & Trails Manager
Ian Walsh is walking along the Spring Creek Trail in Filoli’s forested hills. As light filters in through the canopy, his tall frame and overalls make him easy to follow on the path. Every now and then, he bends to push aside a rogue branch blocking the way.
Though the redwoods tower impressively overhead as Ian walks along the creek, none of them are old-growth trees. Loggers stripped the mountain slopes behind Filoli in the 1800s to supply the construction of San Francisco as its population ballooned. At peak, 35 mills dotted these hills, and teams of oxen pulled huge, felled trunks down to Redwood City to be loaded onto boats.
With this history in mind, Filoli today is committed to stewarding this land for the future – and one important step in 2023 was hiring Ian as the first Natural Lands & Trails Manager.
At the top of the trail, Ian leans on a railing overlooking the creek bed and reminisces about a childhood spent outdoors. Years as a Boy Scout taught him to love camping, and he later worked as a land steward on an island off Cape Cod. After living on the East Coast and in the Midwest, California is a new frontier for Ian – he’s excited to learn about this unique landscape and its challenges.
He crosses a bridge over the part of the creek where atmospheric river storms in January 2023 dropped huge logs and debris. Hardy Girl Scouts have cleared the mess of tangled branches once dammed by this bridge to allow the water to flow again, and Ian sees it as a reminder that even Filoli’s Natural Lands require tending and updated infrastructure.
Ian’s first order of business at Filoli has been the trails, which he hopes will enable visitors to explore more of the 654 acres of Natural Lands across a variety of ecosystems. First, though, he has to make sure the pathways are clear and welcoming. He’ll need to remove rickety stairs on a sloped part of the trail nearby and widen the trail in other spots.
Come summer, this Spring Creek Trail loop will officially open to the public. It will be celebrated alongside the reopening of Filoli’s Nature Center building, reimagined as a space for the Ramaytush Ohlone to tell their story and that of the land. Nearby, at Red’s Barn, Ian is helping adapt the redwood-lined outdoor space to host weddings and public events. On other days, he focuses on how to restore and support the ecosystems on Filoli’s Natural Lands. Ian is planning an upcoming Citizen Science project to record invasive species on the property, including Scotch broom in the hills, English ivy through the woods, and star thistle across the fields.
He’s passionate about ensuring that the animals inhabiting our lands retain their habitat. After all, they are his companions when he is out on the job. On early mornings, he has watched deer lock horns in the meadows, surprised a flock of turkeys into flight with his footsteps, and heard the distant screeching of mountain lions echo through the hills.
Emerging from the woodland and passing the fields, Ian turns off the trail back into Filoli’s formal Garden. He ends his walk on the Wollenburg Terrace, newly restored to highlight sweeping views of the mountains and fields. So much of what makes Filoli exceptional comes from its location and immersive connection with the land around it – from the understated entrance drive that curves around hills and orchards, to the way the House is nestled among a grove of ancient oaks. Filoli’s Comprehensive Site Plan was finalized last year and envisions the next 20 years for this special place, laying out new ways to connect visitors to the Natural Lands and support a sustainable and resilient future.
Ian’s work will be crucial to this vision. And Filoli kick-started it this winter by planting baby redwoods near Red’s Barn, ensuring that these California giants stand tall for years to come.
