Blog Archives

Beat The Heat: Morning and Evening Activities to Get Outside on a Hot Day

8/30/2023

After Work Fitness Hike on Paved Hicks Haul Road.

Another heat wave is hitting Orange County with temperatures expected to climb over 100 degrees. With the excessive heat during the day, it’s hard to find an enjoyable and safe time to get outside. While people are urged to take precautions when going outdoors in this kind of heat, it is still possible to enjoy time out of the house. A few ways to do that include visiting coastal areas where temperatures are usually cooler than inland areas, participating in water activities where you can remain cool and scheduling outdoor activities for the early morning or evening.

If you are looking for ways to opt outside, Irvine Ranch Conservancy volunteers lead multiple guided activities in the early morning and the evening where you can sign up and join. Some of the morning activities coming up include a Sunrise Hike in Fremont Canyon starting at 6:30 a.m. on September 5, a Summer Yoga Morning Hike at Quail Hill starting at 7:30 a.m. on September 8 or an Early Morning Hike at 7:15 a.m. in Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park on September 11.

The 3rd Annual Fire Ecology Internship Returns Welcoming Local High School Students to Apply!

8/23/2023

High school interns researching wildfire impacts on cacti in Limestone Canyon.

Once again, Irvine Ranch Conservancy (IRC) is partnering with Crystal Cove Conservancy and Crystal Cove State Park, for their Fire Ecology Internship this 2023-2024 academic school year and is inviting young aspiring scientists to apply! This internship program will provide local high school students with hands-on scientific research experience through collaboration with land managers and researchers to better understand the impact of wildfires on ecosystems and open spaces throughout Orange County.

The program will include seven online sessions and six field trips taking place from October through the end of May that are designed to cover all steps of scientific research. Students will study the impact of wildfires and their frequency as well as reflect on the relationship between fire, the landscape and how humans and non-human organisms play a role in wildfires and their aftermath. Students will craft pointed scientific questions, design protocol, collect data from various sites across Orange County, work with professional researchers in the field, analyze and organize data and present their findings at the end of the program.

Landmark Spotlight: Crystal Cove State Park

8/15/2023

Tidepools at Crystal Cove State Park

Located off the Pacific Coast Highway between Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach sits 3.5 miles of beach and nearly 2,800 acres of protected habitat known as Crystal Cove State Park. The park contains tidepools, sandy coves, wooded canyons, bluffs and backcountry and is known as one of Orange County's largest remaining examples of open space and natural seashore.

Crystal Cove State Park is located in an Area of Special Biological Significance (ASBS), meaning the area supports an unusual variety of aquatic life and can host unique individual species. Within the State Water Quality Protection Areas, the ASBS are basic building blocks for a sustainable, resilient coastal environment and economy.

IRC Partners with City of Irvine to Restore Bommer Canyon Preserve

8/7/2023

A nature enthusiast exploring Bommer Canyon Preserve

The City of Irvine (COI) was recently awarded a $1 million grant from SB 170, the state budget bill, at the request of Assemblymember Petrie-Norris, to help reduce the risk of wildfire by restoring a heavily visited 49-acre portion of Bommer Canyon Preserve, which will also enhance habitat quality for wildlife. The City of Irvine chose to partner with Irvine Ranch Conservancy (IRC) to execute this project, the initial phase of which will be completed in March 2026.

The area, located south of Shady Canyon Drive, has been overrun with non-native grasses and weeds, which dry up and can readily ignite, posing a fire hazard to neighboring communities and wildlife. The goal of this project is to replace highly flammable non-native vegetation with less flammable native vegetation. The project design will include natural fuel breaks of native riparian vegetation along drainageways interspersed with upland scrub habitat. Although native scrub can also ignite, this vegetation stays green later in the year. This could mean a shortened fire season that starts in September instead of as early as April. An added benefit is that native oak and elderberry trees will also be added to provide shade to the exposed sections of Bommer Meadow Trail.

The project will commence in August 2023 with fence installation, mowing, and installation of an irrigation system to accelerate the “grow & kill” cycles needed to deplete weed seeds in the soil. Although irrigation is not usually an option for landscape-scale restoration in remote areas, the location of this project on the urban edge makes it feasible, and IRC has sought input from Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) on the irrigation design and implementation. When the site is seeded in October 2025, irrigation will also be used to ensure establishment of the desired vegetation of native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers. Although the initial phase of the project will officially conclude in March 2026, IRC will likely continue to manage the site on behalf of the City of Irvine for five years to ensure the restored vegetation is truly sustainable.

To learn more about IRC’s ongoing restoration efforts, visit IRConservancy.org, LetsGoOutside.org or follow the Landmarks on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Saddleback Wilderness

8/2/2023

Views from Saddleback Wilderness trails, courtesy of OC Parks.

Located within OC Parks’ Irvine Ranch Open Space, the new Saddleback Wilderness trail system offers visitors incredible 360-degree views of Orange County, sweeping from the mountains to the Pacific Ocean.

Recently opened in April for guided activities, Saddleback Wilderness is situated at the site of Saddleback Park, America’s first off-road motorsports park established in the 1960s. The trail system now features 3.3 miles of new trails for hiking, biking and equestrian use, ranging from easy to moderate difficulty. The Saddleback Staging Area offers guests picnic tables, portable toilets and parking for vehicles and horse trailers.

Beat The Heat: Morning and Evening Activities to Get Outside on a Hot Day

The 3rd Annual Fire Ecology Internship Returns Welcoming Local High School Students to Apply!

Landmark Spotlight: Crystal Cove State Park

IRC Partners with City of Irvine to Restore Bommer Canyon Preserve

Saddleback Wilderness

About

Archives

Categories