Category: Fremont Canyon

Landmarks Focus: Canyon 2 Fire Update

6/28/2018

Mule Deer in Weir Canyon after the Canyon 2 Fire

On October 9, 2017, a fire broke out in the area around Gypsum Canyon Road near the 91 Freeway. It quickly spread, burning thousands of acres within the northern portion of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, including all of Weir and Blind Canyons, and portions of Fremont Canyon. While much of the wildlife in the area was quick to recover, loss of habitat remains an issue. The fire burned through numerous patches of prickly pear cactus, key habitat for the endangered Cactus Wren. Oak woodlands were also impacted, although many of the larger more mature oak trees were able to survive. However, recovery efforts are underway, and there is strong reason to believe that with time the area will recover.

“Most of the oak trees started showing signs of new growth soon after the fire, and much of the ground vegetation is back,” said Irvine Ranch Conservancy Project Manager Nathan Gregory, Ph. D. “It could take a few years for the shrub coverage to return to its status before the fire, and decades for oak trees to grow.”

Hit the Trails and Connect with Nature During Restoration Activities on the Landmarks

2/2/2018

Volunteers are important to the health of the trails and surrounding habitat on the Landmarks.

Register for Trail Restoration programs on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks and give back to the local lands

The Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks consist of nearly 40,000 acres of biological and geological diverse open spaces and are home to hundreds of species of plants and wildlife. The Landmarks were designated as a Natural Landmark by both the State of California and the U.S. Department of the Interior after scientists identified the landscape as one of the world’s biodiversity “hot spots,” or an area with large concentrations of different species. Volunteers are a vital part of keeping the trails and surrounding habitat healthy for plant life, wildlife, and the enjoyment of visitors for years to come.

Reviving a Rare Tree Species in Fremont Canyon

4/1/2016

Tecate cypress seedlings planted at the Fremont Canyon Staging Area need volunteer support to thrive.

The rare Tecate cypress needs fire to reproduce. The seed cones use fire as an ecological trigger to know when to release the seeds, a process which optimally happens every 30 years or longer. When mature trees burn, the cones pop open, and the seeds are released, germinate and become seedlings to replace the mature trees. However, if another fire happens before the young plants can mature, the grove is destroyed before new seeds can be produced.

Seeing "Green" Around the Landmarks

3/11/2016

Visitors can see how green the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks currently are on a variety of upcoming programs.

From the dark leaves of coastal scrub oak and black sage, to the bright hues of coyote brush and coastal prickly pear cactus, St. Patrick’s Day green is a common color around the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks this time of year. Recent rains and the winter season – when native plants come out of dormancy – have made the green shades even more prominent.

There are a variety of activities out on the Landmarks the week of St. Patrick’s Day to spot green in full force, whether during a fast-paced hike, an interactive outdoor adventure or volunteer opportunities giving back.

Learn Something New in Nature This Weekend

10/9/2015

Photo courtesy of lupgv on Instagram.

Activities held Saturday and Sunday will teach skills you can use forever.

If you’ve visited the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, you know that there is always something new to discover. Learn a new way to look at the land this weekend, through hikes, walks, rides and workouts that will introduce you to skills such as wildlife tracking, cactus planting, mountain biking and even Zumba.

Two very exciting Saturday activities will help visitors learn about the easiest way to “see” wildlife on the trails: animal tracking. By learning which prints are which and “whose scat is that,” you can tell what type of critter was on the trail before you. In Round Canyon, the City of Irvine presents Beginner Animal Tracking, which covers the basics of spotting and identifying animal tracks over a short, 1.5-mile walk. OC Parks is presenting Watching Wildlife in Fremont Canyon, a program that also covers tracking, and will include information about raptors flying overhead near Irvine Lake. This program includes a 4 mile hike with some hills and spectacular views. Both programs are for visitors age 12 and up, and are led by Irvine Ranch Conservancy naturalists.

Keeping Track of Wildlife

8/14/2015

Learn about animal behavior with a free beginner’s tracking class.

It’s just after dawn, and two mule deer are making their way along a trail. They stop to nibble on some sagebrush when they hear a twig snap in the distance. Just a split-second after their large ears pick up the sound, they take cover, bounding quickly to some large shrubs downhill. A few hours later, the entire scene unfolds again, as a trained naturalist “reads” the tracks left by those deer, recounting their every movement. Understanding the tracks left by wildlife gives us insight into their world, and you can learn the basics of tracking with afree class on Saturday, August 22.

Expert Help with Late Summer Birding

8/15/2014

Learn about birding or refresh your skills before the birds head south for the winter.

Just like you, birds are enjoying the last weeks of summer, and they’ve earned it. Birds have been busy in spring and summer building nests, having babies, and caring for them. After breeding, the molting season begins. All birds must replace their feathers, or molt, because feathers wear out over time.

As birds grow these new feathers, they are particularly vulnerable. They may not be able to fly as well during this time, and like to lie low and not attract the attention of predators. This may make seeing birds challenging this time of year. Attending a birding program with an expert naturalist will teach you where and how to look for these elusive birds.

Learning the Origins of Halloween Traditions

10/18/2013

Upcoming activities explore history of Halloween in different cultures.

While some people gear up for Halloween, others are getting ready for Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). These holidays may seem similar, but their divergent origins will be explored in upcoming programs hosted by Irvine Ranch Conservancy.

First, in OC Parks’ Fremont Nature Preserve, discover the origins of Halloween by learning about the Gaelic festival of Samhain (pronounced SAH-win). Traditionally, the festival marked the end of harvest season, and was observed with a feast where ghosts of deceased relatives were welcomed. However, harmful spirits were warded off by wearing masks or costumes to confuse them. People would carve turnips into lanterns with faces, which were used to scare off these evil spirits. References to this holiday can be found in early Irish literature, and over time the celebrations of Samhain, All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ day merged to form the modern-day Halloween.