Blog Archives

Dripping Springs Trail Update

4/25/2014

Progress is being made despite a dry planting season.

When the Dripping Springs trail was closed for restoration last year, no one could have predicted the profound lack of rainfall for the area in 2013. Despite historic drought levels, many members of the community have rallied to make progress in transforming this former ranch road in Limestone Canyon into a single-track trail.

Irvine Ranch Conservancy and OC Parks staff had expected the trail to be restored and re-opened in mid-2014, but the lack of rain may affect that projection. The Conservancy field operations team will evaluate the progress this month, but staff are still working to keep the project moving forward.

Taking to the Air to Take Out Weeds

4/18/2014

Scientists use a helicopter to reach remote patches of invasive plants.

Volunteers often help remove invasive plants along trails and in easily-accessible areas of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. However, in remote wildland areas where trekking in on foot is just not feasible, scientists still have to keep invasive plants at bay. To seek out and eradicate these far-flung patches of weeds, Irvine Ranch Conservancy staff gear up and take to the air.

Last weekend, two Conservancy staff members flew by helicopter to areas where invasive plants were taking hold. Together with contractors from Wildlands Conservation Science and transported by an expert wildland helicopter pilot, the team treated over 200 remote patches of artichoke thistle, pampas grass, tamarisk, and fountain grass. They received special training to safely and efficiently enter and exit the helicopter with their equipment. Using the helicopter meant that the crew could “hopscotch” from site to site and consequently finished work in three days that normally would have taken months to complete on foot.

How Native Plants and Animals Deal with Drought

4/11/2014

Even drought-tolerant plants and animals stuggle with record temperatures and lack of rainfall.

Over the past 100 years, Southern California has gone through several periods of drought. However normal this may be, droughts are becoming more frequent and more intense due to climate change. The year 2013 was one of the driest years in California’s recorded history. Lack of rainfall does not only affect people; plants and animals suffer as well, even our local native species that have evolved to survive occasional dry periods.

In Spring, Wildlife Really Gets Wild

4/11/2014

Spring brings out some interesting habits in these critters.

Wildlife in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks has learned to adapt to the unique characteristics of the local wilderness. For these three critters, spring brings out some of the more interesting adaptations found among the many types of species that call this land home.

From a “bear” to a “tiger”
Painted Tiger Moth, Arachnis picta
Tiger moth caterpillars are often quite hairy, which is why some are referred to as woolly bears. Woolly bears get busy in spring eating weeds and grasses in preparation for their metamorphosis into beautiful tiger moths. The painted tiger moth caterpillar is mostly black with a distinctive black head, and is covered in long bristles. After its transformation, the tiger moth’s wings have dark bands which bear a resemblance to the stripes of a tiger, hence the name.

Trail Re-Opened in Bommer Canyon

4/11/2014

Trail-side habitat has been restored and paths upgraded along Bommer Pass Trail.

The Bommer Pass Trail in the City of Irvine Open Space Preserve re-opened March 28. The trail was closed in January so that the Irvine Ranch Conservancy could perform trail maintenance and habitat restoration. The Conservancy, which manages the City’s Open Space Preserve, worked with volunteers to restore habitat and improve trail drainage during the 3-month project.

The Bommer Pass Trail was opened for daily public access in 2011. Visitors use the trail to bypass the Cattle Camp events area, and to connect to the rest of the Bommer Canyon trail system. From Bommer Canyon, trails connect all the way to Crystal Cove State Park beach. During the closure, a path near Cattle Camp led visitors to the connecting trails. Informative signs along this path informed visitors of the work being done to the trail.

Rangers on the Open Range

4/4/2014

OC Parks Rangers working in the Irvine Ranch Open Space cover a lot of ground.

The Irvine Ranch Open Space is more than 20,000 acres of protected wildlands, and makes up one third of OC Parks’ entire countywide park facility acreage. And just like other park facilities, a staff of park rangers is assigned to help the people of Orange County enjoy this spectacular natural resource.

However, with nearly 100 miles of trails and areas of rugged, remote wilderness, a day in the life of an open space ranger is considerably different than a day in a more traditional park.

Dripping Springs Trail Update

Taking to the Air to Take Out Weeds

How Native Plants and Animals Deal with Drought

In Spring, Wildlife Really Gets Wild

Trail Re-Opened in Bommer Canyon

Rangers on the Open Range

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