Keep these safety and preparedness tips in mind while hiking on the open spaces.
 
Hiking on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks can lead to beautiful ridgetop views, sweeping vistas, and offers outdoor enthusiasts an opportunity to connect with the local lands. When enjoying the longer days of the summer season, properly preparing for a hike is vital to staying safe and helps ensure a positive experience. Take time to plan for an outdoor adventure and enjoy the beauty, fresh air and exercise that comes with hitting the trails on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks.
 
To stay safe and get the most out of your time on the lands, it’s important nature lovers prepare for the unique challenges that come with hiking, especially as temperatures rise. Hikers can start their journey off on the right foot while enjoying the sights and smells of summer with the below tips.

Following trail etiquette helps everyone stay safe and enjoy the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. 

With summer in full swing, explorers are discovering the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks by foot, bike, and horseback. As visitors take advantage of the warm weather on the open spaces and nature preserves, it’s important to remember most of the trails on the Landmarks are multi-use trails and enjoyed by mountain bikers, hikers, and equestrians. Learning and practicing proper trail etiquette can help all explorers stay safe and enjoy the trails this summer and beyond.
 
Some visitors may have seen the “Yield Triangle” sign while adventuring through the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. This sign is a graphic representation of the base trail etiquette rule: bikers yield to equestrians and hikers and hikers yield to equestrians. 

The Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks are home to hundreds of native species of plants and animals, both common and rare. In fact, scientists have identified this region as one of the world’s biodiversity “hot spots”, meaning this is one of the few areas in the world with such a high concentration of different species. Made up primarily of Chaparral and Coastal Sage Scrub ecosystems, the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks are symbolic of what Southern California looked like before large populations of people moved in. It is no secret that the growth of urban areas surrounding the lands have reduced the available habitat for native plants and animals, but that doesn’t mean we should give up on them… that’s where stewardship comes in.

On October 9, 2017, a fire broke out in the area around Gypsum Canyon Road near the 91 Freeway. It quickly spread, burning thousands of acres within the northern portion of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, including all of Weir and Blind Canyons, and portions of Fremont Canyon. While much of the wildlife in the area was quick to recover, loss of habitat remains an issue. The fire burned through numerous patches of prickly pear cactus, key habitat for the endangered Cactus Wren. Oak woodlands were also impacted, although many of the larger more mature oak trees were able to survive. However, recovery efforts are underway, and there is strong reason to believe that with time the area will recover.

“Most of the oak trees started showing signs of new growth soon after the fire, and much of the ground vegetation is back,” said Irvine Ranch Conservancy Project Manager Nathan Gregory, Ph. D. “It could take a few years for the shrub coverage to return to its status before the fire, and decades for oak trees to grow.”

Generally found in well-developed canyons with a consistent water supply, these evergreen Oak trees are the cornerstone of Oak woodland habitats found throughout the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. Their roots grow deep in order to tap into underground water sources, but their proximity to the coast allows them to take advantage of coastal fog as well. Their wide and dense canopy provides shade and habitat while their acorns provide a food source for many different animals that need healthy Oak woodland to survive. 
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However, a recent influx of Gold Spotted Oak Borers has put the health of these Oak woodlands in danger. The Gold Spotted Oak Borer is a kind of beetle whose larvae feed below the protective bark layer of the tree, damaging the vital tissues needed to transmit water and nutrients throughout the plant. Extensive work is being done throughout the Landmarks to prevent the spread of this pest and recover lands already impacted. For more information please visit: https://letsgooutsi.de/2xTzmTH.
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The health and protection of our Coast Live Oak population is essential to preserving the delicate balance of the many interconnected ecosystems that make up the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks.