Landmarks Blog

Become a Volunteer on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks

7/19/2018

A volunteer leads a program in Fremont Canyon

Learn how you can turn your passion for nature into a rewarding position as a volunteer.

The Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks stretch from the mountains to the sea and are cherished for their immense beauty, extraordinary geology, and remarkable diversity of flora and fauna. In 2017, more than 23,000 visitors enjoyed 2,500 public activities offered on the Landmarks, ranging from mountain bike and horseback activities to educational nature walks and birding excursions. Nearly every single one of these recreational activities was led by a trained volunteer.

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Beat the Heat on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks this Summer

7/12/2018

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Hiking in Limestone Canyon

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.

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Trail Etiquette 101

7/5/2018

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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.

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Landmarks Focus: What is Stewardship

6/28/2018

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Volunteers help at the Native Seed Farm

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.

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Landmarks Focus: Canyon 2 Fire Update

6/28/2018

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Mule Deer in Weir Canyon after the Canyon 2 Fire

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.”

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Become a Volunteer on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks

Beat the Heat on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks this Summer

Trail Etiquette 101

Landmarks Focus: What is Stewardship

Landmarks Focus: Canyon 2 Fire Update

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