Irvine Ranch Conservancy
  • Home
    • Landmarks Blog
  • What We Do
    • Programs >
      • Habitat Restoration and Enhancement
      • Wildfire Prevention
      • Community Engagement and Education
      • Invasive Species Control
      • Plant Materials
      • Monitoring and Research
      • Planning and Infrastructure
      • Volunteer Management
    • Where We Work
    • About Us >
      • Meet the Team
      • Our Partners
      • Careers
      • Contact Us
  • Volunteer
  • Donate

Join the Stewards of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks

5/26/2017

 
PictureGive back to the land by volunteering for a stewardship opportunity!
Experience rewarding volunteer opportunities by registering for a stewardship program on the open spaces.

The Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks stretch across more than 40,000 acres from Weir Canyon to south Irvine, and are filled with native plants and wildlife. Preserving the natural habitat on the Landmarks is a big job, and the community is invited to help care for the open spaces by joining a stewardship program. Volunteer independently or coordinate a group for a variety of stewardship activities during daily and long-term programs, and give back to nature by becoming an ambassador of the lands!
 
“Volunteering as a steward is a rewarding opportunity to spend time outdoors and build a relationship with the lands,” Matilde De Santiago-Barrows, Community Stewardship Coordinator, said. “The time people spend here makes an impact and helps preserve the open spaces.”

Nestled in OC Parks’ Irvine Regional Park are many opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors, and Irvine Park Trail Restoration Day on Sunday, June 11 gives nature lovers a chance to take in fresh air while giving back to the local habitat. The trails targeted for restoration are identified in collaboration with OC Parks rangers, and volunteers will help plant native species to combat off-trail use and remove invasive weeds that threaten to crowd out native species.
 
Dripping Springs in OC Parks’ Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve is part of an ongoing restoration project dedicated to converting Dripping Springs ranch road into a single-track trail. The lower portion of the trail has been successfully restored and Irvine Ranch Conservancy staff and volunteers are working to restore the top of the trail. Volunteers will ride in an open-air safari-style truck to the upper portion of the trail to plant native shrubs including buckwheat, white sage, and sage brush in picturesque Dripping Springs.
 
“There’s so much beauty right in our own back yard and there are so many ways to give back to the local habitat. It all starts with planting a seed,” Santiago-Barrows said. 
PictureVolunteers plant native varieties at the Irvine Ranch Conservancy Native Seed Farm.
​Planting seeds is a full circle experience on the Irvine Ranch Landmarks that begins at the Native Seed Farm. The Native Seed Farm in the City of Irvine invites nature lovers ages 8 and older to go behind the scenes and harvest seeds from native plants and shrubs that can be found throughout the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. Conservancy staff and volunteers carefully monitor the farm’s harvesting process, ensuring all genotypes are kept separate and harvested seeds remain with their own species.
 
Some seeds that are harvested from the Native Seed Farm are planted and cared for onsite and at two nurseries found on the Landmarks. The Native Plant Nursery at Quail Hill in the City of Irvine grows native seedlings to be planted on the nearby Quail Hill Trail, where more than 60 native shrubs were recently planted with the help of the Youth Action Team.
 
The Native Plant Nursery at Augustine Staging Area is located in OC Parks’ Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve and offers stewardship programs twice a month in a beautiful oak woodland setting. From the Native Seed Farm to the nurseries to the lands, the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks are reliant on the production of seeds and the dedicated volunteers that help local species thrive.
 
Irvine Ranch Conservancy welcomes the public for various recreational programs throughout the year that can sometimes lead to land degradation. The Santiago Oaks Stewardship in OC Parks’ Santiago Oaks Regional Park facilitates planting, watering, and weeding to help combat the effects of hiking, biking, and riding off-trail, ensuring visitors can come back to lands that are restored and cared for.
 
Join the stewards of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks to enjoy fresh air and beautiful scenery while connecting with nature.  Most activities on the Landmarks are free with required pre-registration, which closes at 4 p.m. the day prior to each event. Remember to wear sunscreen and don’t forget to pack water, a snack, and wear appropriate shoes. Programs are open to the public with required registration, but space is limited and early registration is recommended. For more information and to register for a stewardship program visit www.LetsGoOutside.org. 

Picture

Comments are closed.

    About

    Welcome to the Irvine Ranch Conservancy "News from the Field" blog. These articles are written by Conservancy staff about activities and projects in and near the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. 

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012

    Categories

    All
    Agua Chinon
    Baker Canyon
    Big Canyon
    Birds
    Black Star Canyon
    Bommer Canyon
    Buck Gully
    City Of Irvine
    City Of Newport Beach
    Crystal Cove
    Dripping Springs
    Equestrian
    Family Friendly
    Fire
    Fire Watch
    Fremont Canyon
    Grasslands
    Habitat Restoration
    Hicks Haul Road
    Hiking & Fitness
    Interpretive
    Invasive Plants
    Irvine Open Space Preserve
    Irvine Ranch Open Space
    Irvine Regional Park
    Laguna Coast
    Limestone Canyon
    Mesa Loop
    Mountain Biking
    Native Plant Nursery
    Native Plants
    Native Seed Farm
    Nighttime
    OC Parks
    OC Zoo
    O'Neill Regional Park
    Orchard Hills
    Peters Canyon Regional Park
    Quail Hill
    Red Rocks
    Round Canyon
    Safety
    San Joaquin
    Santiago Oaks Regional Park
    Stewardship
    The Sinks
    Tracking
    Trails
    Trail Work
    Upper Newport Bay
    Volunteers
    Weir Canyon
    Wilderness Access Day
    Wildflowers
    Wildlife

    RSS Feed

Irvine Ranch Conservancy  •  4727 Portola Pkwy. Irvine, CA 92620  •  714-508-4757  •  info@irconservancy.org

© 2016 Irvine Ranch Conservancy, All Rights Reserved.   Irvine Ranch Conservancy reserves all rights under copyright, including (without limitation) rights to photographs. No permission to copy or publish any portion of this web
site or any material posted on the website is granted without the express written permission of Irvine Ranch Conservancy. 
  • Home
    • Landmarks Blog
  • What We Do
    • Programs >
      • Habitat Restoration and Enhancement
      • Wildfire Prevention
      • Community Engagement and Education
      • Invasive Species Control
      • Plant Materials
      • Monitoring and Research
      • Planning and Infrastructure
      • Volunteer Management
    • Where We Work
    • About Us >
      • Meet the Team
      • Our Partners
      • Careers
      • Contact Us
  • Volunteer
  • Donate