
Every year, people around the world celebrate their connections to the environment on Earth Day. The City of Irvine and the Irvine Ranch Conservancy invite the public to celebrate Earth Day at Bommer Canyon, exploring the connections between urban life and the open spaces that are so close to home.
The event will be held in conjunction with the monthly Wilderness Access Day on Saturday, April 20, beginning at 9 a.m. Community partners will provide information on native plants, local wildlife, outdoor adventures, and the City’s environmental initiatives until 1 p.m. at Bommer Canyon Cattle Camp. Residents are invited to continue exploring all Bommer Canyon trails until 3 p.m.
For the April 20 event, the City of Irvine will have information on protecting natural resources, and will give visitors the chance to win environmentally-themed prizes. The Irvine Ranch Conservancy will host a bird-watching booth, where visitors can learn about native and migratory birds found in Bommer Canyon and obtain a birding guide to search for feathered friends on their own.
The Conservancy’s Native Seed Farm staff will be on hand to talk about native pants, including how to grow natives in your own garden. There will also be a docent-led hike, called “Exploring Bommer: Habitats Interpretive Walk,” in which participants will learn about the native habitats and wildlife in Bommer Canyon from a trained naturalist guide.
Irvine Police Department Open Space Public Safety Assistants will talk about wilderness safety and respectful use of our local open space resources and staff from the Irvine Ranch Water District will provide information about water conservation. Lastly, representatives from the Irvine Company will provide visitors with free reusable water bottles and announce the launch of their “FOREVER” website, which highlights permanently protected open space that the Irvine Company has preserved for the public.
This event is free, and Conservancy volunteers will be available throughout the Bommer Canyon trail system to provide assistance and guidance to hikers and bikers during the Wilderness Access Day. For more information, visit www.LetsGoOutside.org/Activities.
Bommer Canyon is located at 6400 Shady Canyon Drive in Irvine.