Blog Archives

July is National Park and Recreation Month

6/27/2014

Enjoy our local open space parks with a variety of activities.

Celebrate Park and Recreation Month in July by visiting Orange County’s only National Natural Landmark. On Saturday, July 12, OC Parks will host a special Wilderness Access Day in Black Star Canyon to help promote Park and Recreation Month and encourage more people to connect to nature and the outdoors.

A recent nationwide survey released by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) found that three in 10 U.S. adults do not spend time outside on a daily basis. Of those who do spend daily time outside, almost half – 47 percent – spend less than 30 minutes in the fresh air.

How to 'See' Wildlife in Hot Weather

6/20/2014

Tracks on the trails tell a lot about the types of animals found in our local wilderness.

As the weather heats up, spotting wildlife during the day can be difficult. Most animals seek a cool spot to stay during the day, being more active early in the morning and later in the evening. Even if you cannot spot them, you can look for signs that animals left behind on the trail. OC Parks and the Irvine Ranch Conservancy will be hosting two separate events next weekend to teach participants how to look for these signs.

“Animals love using the trails to get from point A to point B most efficiently and to conserve energy,” says Conservancy Interpretive Specialist Kelley Reetz. “The tracks and scat they leave behind are a snapshot, telling a story about wildlife activity.”

Hit the Trails to Start Your Summer

6/13/2014

Family activities will get you and your kids outdoors this summer.

Saturday, June 21, is the official start of summer – begin the countdown until your kids utter the dreaded phrase: “I’m bored.”

Be prepared with a list of family-friendly outdoor summer activities in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. From the mountains to the sea, opportunities abound for both daily-access trails and docent-led programs. The variety of activity will help avoid another summer of watching television, and better still, offers outdoor experiences that create lasting family memories.

Volunteer for Native Plant Gardening and Great Views

6/6/2014

Learn about native plants while volunteering at the Native Seed Farm.

With the lack of rainfall this year, many habitat restoration project managers have had to regroup and re-strategize. One of those projects is the Dripping Springs Trail restoration project in OC Parks’ Limestone Canyon. Irvine Ranch Conservancy staff and volunteers made good progress at the beginning of the year, but planting season ended with many seedlings left for next year.

The Conservancy wants to make sure that the seedlings will still be viable for the next planting season, and they seek volunteer help with transplanting about 500 shrub seedlings. Moving the seedlings to larger containers will help foster growth and ensure the plants remain healthy. So far, about 520 plants have been transplanted by volunteers and Conservancy staff. The goal is to plant at least 500 more shrubs along the trail in order to fully support the restoration project.

July is National Park and Recreation Month

How to 'See' Wildlife in Hot Weather

Hit the Trails to Start Your Summer

Volunteer for Native Plant Gardening and Great Views

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