Category: Habitat Restoration

Trade TV for the Trails

4/21/2016

Embrace Screen-Free Week and explore the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks.

With all the technology people have right at their fingertips, it can be easy at times to forget what adventures await outdoors. National Screen-Free Week, May 2-8, is a program by the non-profit Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood encouraging people to put their smartphones away and embrace life beyond digital entertainment. Multiple locations within the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks are close to Orange County residents, so it’s the perfect place to go to grab a breath of fresh air and connect with the outdoors.

Give Back to the Landmarks During National Volunteer Week

4/8/2016

Visitors can water young Tecate cypress trees at Fremont Canyon for National Volunteer Week.

Whether you’re looking for a few hours of weeding or an outing to a remote restoration site, there are many opportunities to give back during National Volunteer Week.

Sunday, April 10, kicks off National Volunteer Week, a celebration encouraging people to actively engage in their community and give back. Public support is vital to the continued long-term health of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, and landowners including OC Parks, the City of Irvine and the City of Newport Beach provide ample opportunities for the public to connect to the land through volunteer work.

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.

Volunteers Can 'Adopt a Grassland' This Spring

4/1/2016

A gust of wind blows through the native grass littleseed muhly (Muhlenbergia microsperma) along Agua Chinon in Limestone Canyon.

Public support is needed to help large-scale restoration project re-introducing native grasses to the Landmarks.

The spring green you see covering the hills hides a dirty secret: A lot of that green comes from non-native grass that will die in the summer and become potential fuel for wildfire. The ranching history of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks includes plants that were brought here to support cattle grazing in the hills. Now that land managers are restoring local habitat for the benefit of wildlife, attention is being turned to the importance of re-introducing native grasses.

Share the Landmarks with Someone Special

2/5/2016

Valentine's Day is the perfect time to spot hearts out in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks.

Give those who matter most to you the gift of quality time together outdoors this Valentine’s Day.

Wildflowers are starting to bloom; the sun is out a bit longer each night; and if you look up in the sky, you just might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of raptors courting – all sure signs Valentine’s Day is nearing in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. Rather than book a reservation at a crowded, overpriced restaurant to celebrate, surprise your loved one this year with an outdoor adventure.

Whether it’s a romantic night hike, an adventurous outing, or an excursion for the whole family, show the people who matter most to you one of the most special sights in Orange County by exploring the Landmarks together this Valentine’s Day. Read more below to see which activity is right for you.

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Trade TV for the Trails

Give Back to the Landmarks During National Volunteer Week

Reviving a Rare Tree Species in Fremont Canyon

Volunteers Can 'Adopt a Grassland' This Spring

Share the Landmarks with Someone Special

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Trade TV for the﻿ Trails

Give Back to the Landmarks During National Volunteer Week

Reviving a Rare Tree Species in Fremont Canyon

Volunteers Can 'Adopt a Grassland' This Spring

Share the Landmarks with Someone Special

About

Archives

Categories

Trade TV for the Trails