Blog Archives

Don't Miss the Virtual Fire Watch Symposium on May 8th!

4/29/2021

Silverado Fire. Image courtesy of OC Parks.

On Saturday, May 8 from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., Irvine Ranch Conservancy will conduct the annual Fire Watch Symposium virtually. Due to state and local guidelines, last year’s symposium was cancelled, but IRC staff and partners have transitioned the symposium to a virtual format that will allow participants to tune in on YouTube and Facebook.

“In these COVID times, the Fire Watch Symposium has a slightly different format than the previous years and our normal activities,” said Tony Pointer, Irvine Ranch Conservancy’s Fire Watch Manager. “This year, the symposium will be presented virtually on IRC’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, making it easy for the public to attend the symposium from the comfort of their own home.”

This year’s main presenter will be award-winning wildfire and astronomy photographer Stuart Palley, who will share his photos and experiences responding to and capturing wildfires in California. Additional presentations and discussions will be conducted by fire prevention specialists, wildland resource planners, meteorologists, park rangers, and fire agency representatives.

How to Greet Snakes on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks this Spring

4/22/2021

A garter snake found in Black Star Canyon Wilderness Park

As the weather starts to warm up across the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, many people have decided to take advantage of the pleasant temperatures and hit the trails. Even though we are lucky enough to have these urban wildlands in our own backyard, it’s important to remember that we aren’t the only ones enjoying the spring sunshine.

Springtime on the Landmarks means snakes are coming out of their annual brumation and are more active as they once again feed and breed out on the land. Brumation is similar to a hibernation and causes a snake’s metabolism to slow down, making them lethargic and inactive. During their brumation, snakes often retreat to underground burrows, caves, hollow logs, or under wood piles. Warm spring temperatures cause snakes to emerge, which increases your chances of greeting these important reptiles while enjoying your time on the Landmarks.

Explore Native Plants on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks During California Native Plant Week, April 17-24

4/15/2021

Native plants on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks

This Saturday, April 17 marks the beginning of California Native Plant Week, an initiative established by the state legislature in 2011 as a way to recognize the state’s globally significant native plants. California is made up of a diverse range of ecosystems and has more types of native plants than any other state, some of which are found nowhere else in the world.

Native plants form the foundation of our local ecosystems, and restoration projects work to bolster this foundation by ensuring these plants have the conditions and support necessary to succeed and sustain themselves. The Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks are home to a large variety of unique and rare native plant communities including coastal sage scrub, chaparral, oak woodland and riparian habitats. Irvine Ranch Conservancy, along with its land partners OC Parks, City of Irvine and the City of Newport Beach, work to protect and enhance the important plant species found in Orange County through restoration work on the Landmarks.

Landmarks Focus: Habitat Restoration and Enhancement

4/8/2021

IRC staff and volunteers plant Oak trees in Weir Canyon

Southern California’s urban wildlands are home to thousands of acres of rare and diverse plants and animals found nowhere else on earth. These wildlands are made up of an intricate network of interconnected habitats that over the course of history have faced many threats, and some have become degraded over time as a result. When a habitat becomes degraded, it can affect the health of an entire landscape.

The habitat restoration and enhancement program is the cornerstone of IRC’s conservation work on the Landmarks. IRC staff, volunteers and regional partners work to restore and enhance the ecological health, resilience, and connectivity of these native habitats to support the rare and diverse species that call it home.

Wildlife Spotlight: Great Blue Heron

4/1/2021

Great Blue Heron

Part of the heron family (Ardeidae), the great blue heron (Ardea herodias) is the largest of the North American herons and are commonly called cranes. Even with their impressive size, great blue herons usually only weigh about five to six pounds due to their hollow bones.

These birds are highly adaptable and can often be found near a variety of different water sources from freshwater to saltwater habitats foraging for food such as fish, frogs, salamanders, snakes, insects and other small animals. They have been known to forage in grasslands and agricultural fields as well.

Don't Miss the Virtual Fire Watch Symposium on May 8th!

How to Greet Snakes on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks this Spring

Explore Native Plants on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks During California Native Plant Week, April 17-24

Landmarks Focus: Habitat Restoration and Enhancement

Wildlife Spotlight: Great Blue Heron

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