New educational hike travels along restoration sites and covers native plant basics. 

Restoring native habitats and leading public activities in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks are two objectives of the Irvine Ranch Conservancy. Now a new hike combines recreation and restoration in one rewarding trek through Limestone Canyon.

On Saturday, September 8, Wildland Manager and Certified Interpretive Guide Henry DiRocco will lead "Habitat Restoration on the Irvine Ranch," a new activity hosted by Irvine Ranch Conservancy. The 6-mile hike begins with an overview of native plants and invasive weeds found in the area, and includes habitat restoration sites on Loma Ridge and Bee Flat Canyon. Those participating in this challenging, hilly hike will gain an understanding of restoration goals for these habitats while hiking through natural hills and canyons.

In the fall, birds really do "fly south for the winter." Luckily the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks are far enough south that a large variety of migratory birds make their way here each year and stay for the winter.  After spending the spring and summer further north, they return to ride out the cold months in Southern California’s balmy Mediterranean climate.

According to The Cornell University Lab of Ornithology, "birds migrate to move from areas of low or decreasing resources to areas of high or increasing resources. The two primary resources being sought are food and nesting locations."

Migration is primarily about nutrition. Birds that nest in the northern hemisphere migrate to where insects are most abundant and where leafy spring growth provides plenty of good nesting opportunities. When these resources wane and the temperature drops, these birds head back south. This pattern is true for the majority of the more than 650 species that nest in North America. Some species take this to the extreme, migrating thousands of miles from the Arctic all the way to South America and back.

Closed former ranch road is a popular spot for getting fit while taking in the sights and sounds of nature.

 Before you take another trip to the gym or the same old walking route around your neighborhood, consider a change of scene for your fitness routine. At the north end of Jeffrey Road in Irvine, you can add hawks, deer and fragrant native plants to your exercise regimen, all without leaving a paved, safe surface.
 
Just past Portola Parkway, Jeffrey Road ends and Hicks Haul Road begins. The former ranch road once helped ranchers carry livestock and supplies up into the canyons, and now the closed road is a secret fitness spot for people who want a rewarding outdoor workout. The hike offers spectacular views of Irvine, but doesn’t require any special gear other than normal running shoes.

Families and groups can help wrap up the harvest season on the Irvine Ranch Conservancy Native Seed Farm.

An often-used phrase comes to mind this time of year on the Irvine Ranch Conservancy Native Seed Farm: "Separating the wheat from the chaff." This phrase has its roots in ancient agriculture, and is relevant on this special farm as piles of cut plants are turned into tons of seed for restoration within the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. 

This is the end of the harvest season, and volunteers on the Native Seed Farm are processing and cleaning seeds from poppies, lupines and other annual plants (such as bird's beak, shown here). Seed pods are separated from plant stems and collected for threshing to separate them from the chaff. It's a team effort, with one person loading the dried plant material onto the sieve, one person shaking the sieve and one person removing the chaff that has already dropped its seed.

Mountain lions, bobcats, deer and more are rescued and cared for at the OC Zoo in Irvine Regional Park; many are trained for use in education programs.

Many avid hikers log hundreds of miles on trails throughout the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks and never see a mountain lion or even a bobcat. Yet with a trip to Irvine Regional Park, anyone can see these cats, along with many other species of locally-native wildlife. The OC Zoo is operated by OC Parks, and also provides educational information and programs about these often elusive creatures.

The OC Zoo offers a unique opportunity to see and learn about animals you may never come across on the trail. It also offers care and rescue to animals that are abandoned, illegally kept as pets, or are otherwise not suitable to be released into the wild. Some of the animals are trained to be education animals, and zoo staff take these special animals out into the public for information sessions throughout the day.