
For the people of Orange County, the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks provide a gorgeous getaway from urban life—a place to reconnect with nature and take part in outdoor recreational activity. Yet to thousands of plant and animal species -- some threatened or endangered -- these wildlands are a vital resource, a homeland made up of some of the few remaining intact natural habitats in the region. These wildland areas provide safe haven for a plethora of biologically important bird, mammal and reptile species.