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

Volunteers Help Ensure that Native Flora and Fauna can Thrive

7/8/2021

 
PictureLong-time volunteer, Ken Kadlec
Irvine Ranch Conservancy (IRC) and the City of Irvine have been hard at work managing invasive species on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks with the help of local volunteers. While many public activities on the land quieted this past year, volunteers and staff remained dedicated to monitoring and removing invasive plant species, ensuring our native flora and fauna can thrive.  
 
The Irvine Ranch Conservancy’s Invasive Species Control team works to protect the health of local wildland habitats by stopping the spread of harmful plants, animals and insects that threaten these ecosystems. With the support and collaboration of staff, volunteers and regional partners, the team engages in a variety of activities to prevent non-native plants and wildlife from degrading the local landscape, allowing for a full flourishing of biodiversity. One such volunteer spearheading the cause is Irvine resident, Ken Kadlec. 

“Being a city of Irvine resident makes this work particularly rewarding for him,” says IRC’s Isaac Ostmann. Ken has been volunteering with the IRC’s Invasive Species Control team for 11 years. He first started volunteering and working on the land in 2003 on the City of Irvine’s Open Space. In the last few years, Ken has focused his efforts close to home on the land in Bommer Canyon. “He has been critical in our effort to stop the spread of artichoke thistle and tree tobacco there,” says Ostmann. “More importantly, he’s helped bolster biodiversity by removing threatening invasive species and encouraging native flora and fauna to thrive.”  Ken likes to point out that he hasn’t done this alone.  When discussing the work in Bommer Canyon, Ken was quick to point out that, “This has always been a group effort, with significant contributions over the years from fellow volunteers like John Hoffman, Bill Braly, Jeff Black, Don Havens and Dave Wilson.” 
 
Three of the main invasive species that the team targets and removes are tree tabaco (Nicotiana glauca), artichoke thistle (Cynara cardunculus) and castor bean (Ricinus communis), as well as a variety of other invasive species. Volunteers focus on different plants depending on the time of year and try to remove the invasive species before their seeds have a chance to spread.  
  
Although invasive species control is hard work, Ken appreciates being able to make a tangible difference on the land he’s loved for so long. For Ken, his specific job as a volunteer is the perfect combination of three things, “It’s good exercise, you’re in a beautiful setting, and you’re doing some good [for the land]. It’s a win, win, win!”   
 
If you are interested in learning more about IRC volunteers and how to become one, you can find additional information here.  If you are interested in learning about other single-day volunteer and stewardship opportunities, check out the activity listings on LetsGoOutside.org. 

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

    March 2023
    February 2023
    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