​Irvine Ranch Conservancy, in partnership with OCTA and OC Parks, recently completed a ten-year landscape-scale habitat restoration project in Bee Flat Canyon, revitalizing degraded lands in this 293-acre subwatershed of the Santa Ana River.
 
Tucked away in OC Parks’ Limestone Canyon, Bee Flat Canyon ranges from Limestone Meadow near Santiago Canyon Road up to Loma Ridge in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains. IRC conducted intensive restoration of 84 acres and removed invasive weeds throughout the entire subwatershed. Bee Flat Canyon was selected as a high priority restoration zone due to its ecological value and strong potential for success.

​Wandering through the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, you’ve most likely come across a wide variety of native animals. Scurrying through the chaparral, oak woodland and coastal sage scrub habitats on the Landmarks, the California quail is known for its hardiness and adaptability to its surroundings.
 
Usually keeping to themselves and hiding in nearby brush, California quail are not always easy to spot. Visitors of the Landmarks can often hear these birds before they see them. If you keep a good lookout and travel quietly, you might get a glimpse of a quail family crossing a trail. 

​A large part of our mission at Irvine Ranch Conservancy is to protect the diverse wildlands of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. From education to restoration to management, there are a number of different ways our staff strives to ensure the Landmarks continue to thrive. As the summer months dry out the native landscape, the chance of wildfire danger increases across the Landmarks. The Orange County Fire Watch program was created to help protect the Landmarks from catastrophic wildfires and fire danger through education, early reporting and deterrence.
 
At the helm of the Fire Watch program is Fire Watch Manager Tony Pointer. In partnership with OC Parks, City of Irvine, City of Newport Beach, and Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), Tony is responsible for the recruitment and training of Fire Watch volunteers, the deployment of volunteers during Red Flag Warnings, and Fire Watch participation in community engagements such as safety fairs, partner activities and presentations. Tony is also responsible for safety administration at Irvine Ranch Conservancy, which includes providing regular weather updates to staff, administering weather closures on the Landmarks, and facilitating safety trainings, documentation and communications for IRC staff. 

​During the recent COVID-19 closure, Irvine Ranch Conservancy’s Planning and Infrastructure Crew, in partnership with the City of Newport Beach, used the temporary trail closure as an opportunity to repair and enhance the Buck Gully trail system with hopes of improving the sustainability of the trail while making it more enjoyable for hikers and bikers.
 
Starting on May 11, the Planning and Infrastructure Crew took advantage of the clear trails to safely operate heavy equipment on the narrow trail system and accelerate improvement projects in the area. The crew was able to cut back overgrown vegetation and widen the trail for better visibility, reroute two sections of the trail adjacent to the creek making them more sustainable, repair surface erosion at the trailhead, and incorporate natural surface drains and tread re-contouring at more than 18 locations to eliminate channelization of water and bank edge erosion. Rip-rap and gravel were also incorporated into more than 1,000 lineal feet of trailhead to help armor the tread and create an all-weather sustainable surface.

​The 4th of July is right around the corner! With most celebrations taking place at home this year, we want to remind you to take proper safety precautions to prevent potential wildfire danger.
 
Fireworks are a popular activity during the 4th of July holiday, but can also create dangerous fire hazards, not only among the Landmarks and surrounding habitats, but to homes, people, pets and more. Human-caused wildfires are one of the most common types of wildfires and even the smallest firework can be a threat to local wildlands. For example, a simple Sparkler can exceed temperatures up to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to melt metal and can quickly ignite nearby brush. All fireworks, including “safe and sane” fireworks, are prohibited in County parks.