Please join us at the Native Plant Nursery located at the Augustine Staging Area. This is a unique opportunity to help remove invasive plants species and water the newly planted native shrubs. Your help will help to enhance native habitat within Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve! We will be working in close proximity to the parking area. 

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-1 activity on the land.

Science camera card pick up and battery replacement in City of Irvine.

Please join IRC staff and volunteers as we work to restore and maintain the land along the new Waterworks Trail in Fremont Canyon! This is a stewardship activity and duties may include removing invasive plants, watering, weeding around existing native plants that were planted earlier in the year or other similar duties. Spend the morning working under an oak woodland and/or coastal sage habitat. Any tools and equipment needed will be provided by Irvine Ranch Conservancy for the duration of the activity. Your work on the trail will help establish important habitat in Fremont for local wildlife.

If time permits, we will take an optional hike along the Waterworks Trail. The hike is a 2-mile round trip smooth and flat trail that will be taken at an easy pace.

Participants must wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and preferably wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants. Participants must also bring their own water as well as wear sunscreen and hats.

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-2 activity on the land.

Want to stand knee-deep in rows of blooming color? Want to refresh your senses while giving back to Nature?

Then sign up to help behind the scenes at the Irvine Ranch Conservancy’s one-of-a-kind Native Seed Farm in Irvine!  You will be harvesting seeds from quirky native summer wildflowers, like Yellow Pincushion and California Wishbone Bush.  Absolutely no experience or special equipment required!

Please note our Minors Policy as noted on the letsgooutside.org website:  All minors (under 18 years of age) must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian. They must also (both parent and minor) be registered for the Irvine Ranch Conservancy led program they wish to attend.

Reviewing the 1-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this Level 1 activity.

Please join us at the Community Stewardship Native Plant Nursery located at the Quail Hill Trailhead in Irvine. Help us to prepare native plants for future planting on the land alongside the new Waterworks Trail in Fremont Canyon. This stewardship activity may involve planting seeds, watering and weeding. Your work at the nursery will help to enhance the native habitat and directly benefit the local wildlife!

Science camera card pick up and battery replacement in Limestone Canyon.

Summary of Volunteer Only Hours for stewardship work performed.

Sasha Cheechov: 7 hours

Connect with nature and give back to the land as we assist native plants and wildlife flourish in an extremely sensitive area of Limestone Canyon Preserve. You will ride through the canyon in a safari-type vehicle to the Dripping Springs Trail where you may water or add native plants. In addition we will give existing native plants room to thrive as we weed out invasive plants. As a bonus we will hike approximately 2 miles round-trip to Dripping Springs; a fern-covered rock face dripping with life-giving water creating an essential watering hole for wildlife in the canyon. Your work along this trail will not only benefit the plants and animals, but you will be supporting its continued beautification and protection.

Reviewing the 1-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this Level 3 activity. The hike is a Level 2 Difficulty Rating.

Summary of Volunteer Only Hours for stewardship work performed.

Sasha Cheechov: 6 hours

IRC Farm Stewards are invited to help out at this “openhouse style” workday!

Our tasks and actual location are TBD, and they will be based on accomplishing the Farm’s top priority work for each specific week. Depending on the time of year we might be at the Farm doing planting, weeding, doing nursery things, or at the Extension center cleaning Farm & wild seed , or something else entirely new!

(Not a Farm Steward yet? To get started on becoming one, check out “Trainings” under the Activities category drop-down menu, and get signed up for the next quarterly Farm Intro Training!)

Birds and other wildlife need healthy habitat to thrive. Simple things like planting native plants can greatly improve habitat for wildlife. You can be part of that positive impact while enjoying the beauty of Buck Gully near Newport Beach. This activity takes place on sloped terrain and sturdy hiking boots are highly recommended. All training, tools, and gloves will be provided to ensure your safety and comfort. Rattlesnakes are occasionally seen here and generally avoid people, but protective gear will be provided.

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-3 activity on the land.

Volunteer Only Hours for stewardship work performed.

7/14/2018: 4.0 hours

Rich  Schilk

Join Laguna Canyon Foundation volunteers in beautiful Laguna Coast Wilderness Park at our native plant nursery as we care for native plants from their seed stage to their mature, ready-to-be planted stage. Volunteers may collect seeds, sow seeds in flats, bump plants up, plant at restoration sites, sterilize plant containers, and/or help maintain the facilities for the plants. Gain hands-on experience with habitat restoration while working alongside other zany and interesting plant lovers! Wear close toed shoes, layered clothing and sun protection. Bring water. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, Willow Canyon Staging Area (west side of Laguna Canyon Rd/SR-133, just south of El Toro Road). Park and walk up the gravel trail 100 yards to get to the small native plant nursery, just before the trailers. Free parking passes will be provided for you at the nursery. Youth ages 16 and 17 are eligible to volunteer with parent permission. A form is required to be signed by their parent or guardian prior to starting the volunteer activities. Youth under the age of 16 are not eligible to volunteer unless accompanied by an adult or guardian. On line reservations required: lagunacanyon.org/activities Forms available on this webpage as well. For questions, call 949-497-8324 Mon-Fri or 949-923-2235 Sat/Sun.

Seeking Ranger Reserves and OC Parks Volunteers to assist with backcountry patrol of park trails. Patrolling the trails is at times strenuous and will include passing out maps, educating public about importance of keeping their dogs on a leash and making a presence on the trails. Other duties may include repairing broken fencing, checking for graffiti and investigating illegal trail use in Weir canyon. Hours are flexible.

Want to stand knee-deep in rows of blooming color? Want to refresh your senses while giving back to Nature?

Then sign up to help behind the scenes at the Irvine Ranch Conservancy’s one-of-a-kind Native Seed Farm in Irvine!  You will be harvesting seeds from quirky native summer wildflowers, like Yellow Pincushion and California Wishbone Bush.  Absolutely no experience or special equipment required!

Please note our Minors Policy as noted on the letsgooutside.org website:  All minors (under 18 years of age) must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian. They must also (both parent and minor) be registered for the Irvine Ranch Conservancy led program they wish to attend.

Reviewing the 1-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this Level 1 activity.

Watering Plants and Nature Niche Support

Help improve native habitat at Peters Canyon Regional Park by removing non-native invasive plants, which steal light, water and nutrients from native species. Please bring sunscreen, drinking water, light snacks, and gloves, and wear a hat and closed-toe shoes.

Back country patrol is a popular volunteer opportunity at Santiago Oaks. It can be very satisfying to know you are serving your community as a back country patrol volunteer while at the same time doing something that is healthy for yourself as you take in the fresh country air, clear your mind, and feel your heart pumping strong as you climb the trails to beautiful vistas. Back country patrol volunteers provide an important service to the park. You will learn in more detail what this entails at the facility orientation. The orientation will last approximately 30-60 minutes followed by a self-guided hike with a park map which you will use to become familiar with the trails of Santiago Oaks. Please come prepared to hike and wear good hiking shoes, bring a hat, water, snacks for yourself and sun protection. Santiago Oaks has about 20 miles of trails but we don’t expect you to hike them all in one day.

Summary of Volunteer Only Hours for stewardship work performed.

Sasha Cheechov: 7 hours

The Tecate Cypress is a rare species found only in southern California and northern Baja California. Unfortunately, the northern most population in the Santa Ana Mountains is in severe decline due to too-frequent wildfires. In effort to protect this rare species, locally genetic trees have been planted in Fremont Canyon, in close proximity to the staging area. Join us as we deeply water and weed around the young trees. Your work will ensure the newly-planted Tecate has all they need to thrive, and will directly help the effort to ensure the persistence of this unique forest community here in Orange County!

Reviewing the 1-through-5 Difficulty Ratings will help you evaluate your readiness to participate in this level-2 activity on the land.