Student field day in OC Parks' Limestone Canyon.
Over the last three years, Irvine Ranch Conservancy (IRC) has partnered with Crystal Cove Conservancy (CCC) and Crystal Cove State Park on a Fire Ecology Internship program with local high school students in Orange County. As CCC prioritizes environmental education while IRC prioritized fire prevention and management, they decided to combine resources toward the shared goal of enhancing awareness about fire prevention and train a new generation of conservation scientists.
Now in its third year, the program allows high school students to explore Crystal Cove State Park and inland open space areas owned by OC Parks that are managed by IRC and study the impacts of fire throughout the county. In previous years, the interns focused on the general impact of fires and the impacts of different fire frequencies throughout the Nature Reserve of Orange County. As the program began just before the 2020 Silverado and Bond Fires, the first round of student interns were able to study the immediate impacts of the fires. The most recent cohort developed research questions focused on the impact of fires on the coastal cactus wren, a species of special concern that heavily relies on dense thickets of cactus for nesting.
Now in its third year, the program allows high school students to explore Crystal Cove State Park and inland open space areas owned by OC Parks that are managed by IRC and study the impacts of fire throughout the county. In previous years, the interns focused on the general impact of fires and the impacts of different fire frequencies throughout the Nature Reserve of Orange County. As the program began just before the 2020 Silverado and Bond Fires, the first round of student interns were able to study the immediate impacts of the fires. The most recent cohort developed research questions focused on the impact of fires on the coastal cactus wren, a species of special concern that heavily relies on dense thickets of cactus for nesting.
The students involved in the internship vary in age as well as their school and career paths, which include sustainability, climate change, and resource management. Over the course of the program, the interns attend virtual lessons on fire ecology and conservation, during which they develop their research questions. They then investigate those questions through multiple field data collection days. With guidance from CCC, Crystal Cove State Park and IRC, the students analyze their data and formulate their conclusions.
Just last week, the students presented their findings on how fire frequency is negatively affecting cactus health and wren nesting and feeding to staff and volunteers from Crystal Cove State Park, CCC and IRC. The Fire Ecology Internship allows participating students to gain valuable experience working in the fields of fire ecology conservation, but it also helps IRC and Crystal Cove State Park land managers address real conservation challenges by measuring the impact of fires and track changes in critical habitats over time.
To learn more about fire ecology and other available programs, visit IRConservancy.org, LetsGoOutside.org or follow the Landmarks on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Just last week, the students presented their findings on how fire frequency is negatively affecting cactus health and wren nesting and feeding to staff and volunteers from Crystal Cove State Park, CCC and IRC. The Fire Ecology Internship allows participating students to gain valuable experience working in the fields of fire ecology conservation, but it also helps IRC and Crystal Cove State Park land managers address real conservation challenges by measuring the impact of fires and track changes in critical habitats over time.
To learn more about fire ecology and other available programs, visit IRConservancy.org, LetsGoOutside.org or follow the Landmarks on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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