Since 2005, Irvine Ranch Conservancy (IRC) has worked to restore and preserve the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks and native wildlands in Orange County, while helping hundreds of thousands of people connect with nature. For the past 15 years the Conservancy, in partnership with OC Parks, City of Irvine, City of Newport Beach, OCTA, OCFA and OC Waste & Recycling, has focused on six core programs of work: habitat restoration and enhancement, fire prevention, community engagement and education, invasive species control, plant materials, and scientific monitoring and research.
“IRC is thrilled to be celebrating our 15th year of caring for the land and involving the community in protecting these special places,” said Michael O’Connell, President & CEO. “We are beyond grateful to our many partners, our expert staff and hundreds of volunteers. Together, we have made remarkable accomplishments and will continue to work together to ensure these spectacular lands remain healthy and are enjoyed for future generations.”
The cornerstone of IRC’s conservation work is the habitat restoration and enhancement program, which in the last 15 years has enhanced or restored 2,000 acres of land previously degraded by intensive ranching and other land uses. Funded by partnerships with agencies including OCTA, OC Waste & Recycling and OC Parks, IRC revitalizes wildlands by promoting ecological health, resilience, and connectivity so they can support native plants and wildlife.
Over the last few years, wildfires in Orange County have increased in both frequency and severity. Nearly all are ignited by human causes. Too frequent wildfire is also the most destructive threat to the health of wildlands. As one way to respond to this difficult problem, Irvine Ranch Conservancy and its partners including OC Parks and the cities of Irvine and Newport Beach started the volunteer OC Fire Watch program. Since 2007, Fire Watch has worked to reduce catastrophic wildfires through education, deterrence, and early reporting. Today, the program has over 360 volunteers who have given more than 50,000 hours to keeping local communities and wildlands safe.
In addition to caring for the land, IRC’s mission is to help the community enjoy and establish connections to the rare open spaces found on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. Through its community engagement and education program, and resources such as LetsGoOutside.org, IRC has provided diverse, nature-oriented recreational activities and informal learning opportunities for 15 years. To help foster a lifelong commitment to protect native wildlands, IRC and its partners have offered nearly 22,000 public access programs, bringing more than 200,000 people to the land with trained naturalists and volunteers.
“One of the most important programs we have is our community engagement and education program,” said O’Connell. “It is essential to build broad involvement and support for these native wildlands in our backyard. IRC provides opportunities for anyone of any ability to enjoy the land and participate in its sustainability and stewardship.”
IRC staff and volunteers can often be found in the field battling another threat to the Landmarks – invasive species. Invasive plants, animals and insects are extremely harmful to native habitats and can degrade ecosystems, crowd out native plants and wildlife, and threaten the biodiversity of the landscape. IRC’s invasive species control program removes harmful species using a variety of innovative methods and practices. This program has eliminated more than 1,500,000 invasive plants from Orange County wildlands in the last 15 years.
Another integral part of IRC’s work over the years has been its pioneering plant materials program, which creates a steady supply of native plants, seeds and other materials to replenish local ecosystems. To meet the growing demand for native plants, in 2009 IRC established a 14-acre Native Seed Farm on an old agricultural field in North Irvine. Starting with just 12 species, IRC staff and hundreds of community volunteers now cultivate and harvest over 50 native species – some rare – that are used for restoration projects throughout Orange County. The plant materials program produces more than a half ton of seed each year and has planted more than 75,000 native plants.
For urban wildlands like the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks to thrive, it is critical for IRC and its partners to know how plants, animals and ecosystems are faring. IRC’s scientific monitoring and research program assesses the state of natural resources, establishes goals for ecological health, and tracks progress over time. Among the tools IRC uses is a sophisticated network of over 50 heat- and motion-triggered cameras installed throughout the landscape. These camera “traps” capture images of wildlife that help partners and scientists understand wildlife response to seasonal changes, drought, human activity, and the impacts of wildfire. With the help of volunteers, millions of photos have been processed from these cameras since 2007 and more than 800,000 images have been compiled into a long-term database.
“IRC staff, volunteers and partners have accomplished more than we ever imagined in the last 15 years,” said O’Connell. “We will continue to build on these achievements to ensure these extraordinary lands remain healthy and resilient for generations.”
To learn more about IRC’s first 15 years of stewardship, visit https://letsgooutsi.de/IRC15 or go to irconservancy.org.
Irvine Ranch Conservancy
Irvine Ranch Conservancy is a non-profit, non-advocacy organization created in 2005 to help preserve and support the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, enhancing the public’s connection to the land while helping partners and landowners with all aspects of stewardship. The Conservancy offers a variety of free, guided outdoor programs for all nature enthusiasts including hiking, mountain biking, horse-back riding and much more. For more information, visit www.letsgooutside.org.
Laura Lanzi
PR & Marketing Coordinator
Photo Credits: Irvine Ranch Conservancy
