
Summer is officially here! Native plants continue to bloom on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks in the summer sun and butterflies can be spotted nearby. As native plant life thrives, so does the local butterfly community. Nature enthusiasts can discover how native plants help the butterfly community prosper during the first-ever Butterfly Social Media Takeover on the Landmarks’ social media channels on June 26.
Joining a stewardship program and removing invasive species helps create healthy habitats for a thriving butterfly community. No experience is necessary for stewardship programs on the Landmarks and all tools are provided. The stewardship programs are a great opportunity for those young and young at heart to help heal the land and provide a healthy habitat for butterflies and other native wildlife.
“There are so many benefits to removing the invasive species that threaten our unique ecosystem on the Landmarks. Invasive weeds outcompete native plants and reduce the diversity that is essential to the survival of the many butterfly species that occur here,” commented Irvine Ranch Conservancy Project Manager and Ecologist, Dr. Nathan Gregory. “Helping native plants flourish helps native wildlife, such as the local butterfly community, thrive with it.”
Click the stewardship activities below to register for a free program and see if you can spot any of the butterflies mentioned in the takeover on the Landmarks.
- It’s Harvest Time! Collect Wildflower Seeds at the Native Seed Farm on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. allows volunteers to harvest seeds from native plants at the Native Seed Farm in Irvine.
- Waterworks Trail Restoration: Fremont Canyon on Wednesday, June 27 from 9 – 11 a.m. encourages volunteers to remove invasive plants along the Waterworks Trail in Fremont Canyon to help establish important habitat for local wildlife.
- Irvine Park Trail Restoration Day on Sunday, July 8 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. invites the community to keep Irvine Parks’ trails and habitat healthy by removing invasive species to combat the effects of off-trail use.
- Give Back and Enjoy the Beauty: Dripping Springs on Thursday, July 12 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. invites volunteers to ride through Limestone Canyon on a safari-type vehicle to Dripping Springs Trail and help native plants and wildlife flourish by weeding out invasive plants.
Don’t miss the Butterfly Social Media Takeover on Tuesday, June 26 and head to the Landmarks to see which butterflies you can spot! It’s important to wear appropriate clothing and footwear, and remember to bring sunscreen, water and light snack. Click the programs above for more information and to register or visit LetsGoOutside.org/activities.