Irvine Ranch Conservancy

Laguna Canyon Foundation
Preserving, Protecting and Enhancing the South Coast Wilderness

The non-profit Laguna Canyon Foundation (LCF) leads a coalition of organizations providing watchful care for Southern California’s second largest coastal canyon wilderness. This 20,000 acre area includes Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, Crystal Cove State Park, and adjoining open space in Irvine, Laguna Beach and Laguna Woods. These lands are also a major part of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. LCF’s mission is preserving, protecting, and enhancing the South Coast Wilderness.

Since helping to establish Laguna Coast Wilderness Park in the early 1990’s, LCF has worked to preserve the land in and around Laguna Canyon. LCF is dedicated to protecting and enhancing existing parkland, as well as safeguarding additional wilderness. Through contributions and donations, LCF provides financial and volunteer support for the parks and preserves in the coastal canyon region.

“As an organization, we work to follow our motto of ‘Keeping it Wild’,” says Karl Warkomski, executive director of LCF. “By training volunteers, offering guided hikes and other activities, conducting educational programs and assisting public land managers with habitat restoration, signage and other improvements, we continue to preserve, protect and enhance this special wilderness. Partnerships with landowners, and other non-profits like the Irvine Ranch Conservancy have always helped us to achieve our goals. Major habitat restoration projects like the one currently being completed in Rattlesnake Canyon could not be completed without IRC’s partnership.”

Throughout its history, LCF has forged special partnerships among community and environmental activists, civic and municipal leaders, and private property owners and developers. Most recently, LCF helped plan and provide major funding for the James and Rosemary Nix Nature Center at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, which has become the gateway for recreational users to explore a vast network of linked trails through the coastal region. For more information about LCF visit http://www.lagunacanyon.org/parks.html.