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SPOTLIGHT
IRC's Very Own Onsite Greenhouse
A Cost Effective Way to Grow Native Plants
Irvine Ranch Conservancy's Science & Stewardship team has purchased a greenhouse to start native plants for future restoration planting. Hiring a nursery would have been too costly, but this greenhouse is a cost effective way to grow plants in-house before transferring them to the field. The greenhouse was put together with the sweat and hard work of handy IRC volunteers and staff who worked for two days to construct the structure; which is housed at the IRC headquarters in Irvine. It consists of 8x12' polycarbonate panels and an aluminum frame and looks like a typical greenhouse on the outside. The interior will become a haven for growing native vegetation and will be used to start plants early in a warm environment giving them a jump-start before being transplanted in the field. "We are thrilled about installing this new greenhouse, which will not only allow us to start plants quickly and safely for restoration planting, but will also let us start some plants for seed production over the spring and summer,” says Dr. Jutta Burger, IRC Science & Stewardship. “We're looking forward to getting IRC Land Stewards and Citizen Scientists involved with us in growing and maintaining these plants." The greenhouse is a great addition to IRC's restoration activities, because it will allow IRC staff and Land Stewards to cultivate native grasses and shrubs quickly for winter planting as rains begin. In addition, another perk of having a greenhouse, is that it will keep out pesky birds and rodents that eat seeds and young foliage. To learn more about some of the Resource Management and Stewardship projects on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, visit http://www.irconservancy.org/stewardship/science. To get involved in or inquire about volunteer opportunities, visit http://www.irvineranchwildlands.org/involved/volunteerForm.asp.
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