Page 4 – Let's Go Outside

Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park

Thursday, August 1, 2013
Jenn Starnes

O’Neill Regional Park

Monday, June 17, 2013
Gandalf the White

--OPEN DAILY-- Day Use: Open year-round 7 a.m. to sunset. Trails: Closed for three days following rain. Camping: Year-round, check-out at 12 p.m., check-in at 2 p.m., Location: 30892 Trabuco Canyon Road Trabuco Canyon, CA 92678 Office hours: 7 a.m. to 8…

Black Star Canyon Wilderness Park

Monday, June 17, 2013
Gandalf the White

--SCHEDULED PROGRAMS ONLY-- An easy gateway to the backcountry of the Cleveland National Forest and the northern Santa Ana Mountains. Black Star Canyon is well-known for many historical stories from both ranching days and the Gabrieleno or Tongva people who…

Buck Gully Reserve

Monday, June 17, 2013
Gandalf the White

Nestled into a coastal canyon in the City of Newport Beach, Buck Gully Reserve is open daily from dawn to dusk.

Fremont Canyon Nature Preserve

Monday, June 17, 2013
Gandalf the White

--SCHEDULED PROGRAMS ONLY-- Often referred to as "the Yosemite of Orange County" due to its striking beauty and massive granite formations, Fremont Canyon is rich in biological diversity and history. The area is also home to many rare, threatened and…

Irvine Regional Park

Monday, June 17, 2013
Gandalf the White

--OPEN DAILY-- Established in 1897, the land was the first of many donations by the James Irvine family to the public. Irvine Regional is Orange County’s oldest park, a historic landmark, and the very first regional park in the State…

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

Monday, June 17, 2013
Gandalf the White

--OPEN DAILY-- From wind-buffeted bluffs to challenging trails rewarding visitors with spectacular coastal and mountain views, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park offers an abundance of activities and scenery to match for walkers, hikers, mountain-bikers and equestrians. The park is owned and…

Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve

Monday, June 17, 2013
Gandalf the White

This spectacular and lush canyon includes thick oak woodlands, streamside habitats, year-round springs and an iconic geological formation called “The Sinks”.

Weir Canyon Nature Preserve

Monday, June 17, 2013
Gandalf the White

--SCHEDULED PROGRAMS ONLY-- With its deep canyons and steep hillsides, Weir Canyon contains one of the largest and healthiest oak woodlands in Orange County along with an abundance of rare habitats and wildlife. A variety of docent-led hikes, equestrian and…

Irvine Open Space Preserve

Monday, June 17, 2013
Gandalf the White

The City of Irvine Open Space Preserve provides countless ways to connect with nature and enjoy outdoor adventures without traveling far, including hiking, mountain biking, equestrian programs, and naturalist-led tours. Here is the City's Open Space Mission Statement: The City…

The Orange County Fire Watch program is facilitated in partnership with OC Parks, City of Irvine, City of Newport Beach, Irvine Ranch Conservancy, and Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA). The volunteer program is managed by Irvine Ranch Conservancy staff, and its mission is to reduce catastrophic wildfires through education, early reporting and deterrence.

The program supports the larger Orange County FIre Watch Network, a collaboration of fire watch programs such as the Fire Safe Council East Orange County Canyons, the cities of Anaheim and Laguna Beach among others. Irvine Ranch Conservancy and OCFA train volunteers and staff to deploy to specific locations determined by fire spread research, historical ignition data, and participant safety requirements. Deployment occurs on Red Flag Warning days, Santa Ana Wind events, and/or in other special circumstances.

If you are interested in volunteering, please call 714-508-4700 or email firewatch@irconservancy.org.

Established in 2005, Irvine Ranch Conservancy is a non-profit, non-advocacy organization created to help care for the permanently protected wildlands and parks on the historic Irvine Ranch. The Conservancy actively manages nearly 30,000 acres of land in partnership with landowners such as OC Parks, City of Irvine and City of Newport Beach.

The organization works with its partners to enhance the public’s appreciation, understanding and connection to the land, while helping other land owners and managers with all aspects of stewardship. The Conservancy contributes its resources, expertise and energy to achieve the best possible balance of preservation and public participation.

There are many species of animals that live in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks. While you might see a few when you visit, most wildlife avoid human contact. They may see you as a threat, or they might be "nocturnal." and most active at night. SInce scientists need to monitor wildlife health and habits, they use remote monitoring cameras to "see" the animals. These cameras are positioned along trails, and capture images of the animals as they walk by. Biologists use these photos to check if wildlife are healthy, where they are living, and to see if human activity is affecting them. Irvine Ranch Conservancy scientists want you to see the animals, too! These slideshows feature images captured by their Wildlife Monitoring Project. For more information about the project, click here. For more slideshows, visit the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks Wildlife Slideshows page on YouTube.

Year of Deer A year of photos taken by a remote wildlife monitoring camera in Limestone Canyon. The photos are in order from January through December, so you can watch the seasons change in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks.

Spring Babies In spring, baby critters are out exploring the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks.

For the Birds A variety of native birds captured throughout the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, including owls, hawks, eagles, hummingbirds and more.

Say Cheese! Sometimes the animals get a little curious about the cameras used in the Wildlife Monitoring Project. Here are some critters who are ready for their close up.

2007 Santiago Fire These captivating pictures follow the 2007 Santiago Fire as it traveled through Limestone Canyon.

For more slideshows, click here.

There have been many scientific studies of the geological and ecological resources on The Irvine Ranch over the last few decades. But the comprehensive review and evaluation leading to the Natural Landmark designation is the most rigorous, objective and independent scientific study ever conducted on the land. Findings of the seven accomplished scientists who participated in this review both confirm and reinforce previous evaluations recognizing the importance of this open space.

The process for Landmark evaluation included a detailed application prepared by LSA Associates, Inc. in Irvine, California. The exhaustive review included onsite evaluations conducted by independent biologists and geologists selected by the National Park Service. These experts produced an extensive report that was then peer-reviewed by seven other independent scientists.

Based on these evaluations and the recommendations of the Science Advisory Committee of the National Park Service, the National Park Service Advisory Board, and the National Park Service director, the Secretary of the Interior designated the Irvine Ranch National Natural Landmark in 2006. A similar objective review led to the designation as a California Natural Landmark on Earth Day 2008 by the California State Parks director.

Rare and biologically rich coastal sage scrub and chaparral habitats are the primary features that make the land worthy of Natural Landmark designation. Embedded within the expanses of scrub are imperiled natural communities such as native grasslands, stream corridors and live oak woodlands, as well as important populations of rare and endangered plants and animals.

Much of the coastal sage scrub habitats are healthy and relatively undisturbed, and the Landmarks are one of the largest areas of this highly threatened Mediterranean-type shrub land remaining in California.

Geologists who studied the Irvine Ranch for the Natural Landmark designation identified many unique and rare features - including fossils of hadrosaurian, or "duckbilled," dinosaurs. The land is an outstanding illustration of the complicated and unique geologic history of the southwestern continental margin of North America.

The exceptionally wide variety of rock types and diversity of fossils exposed on the land captures changing landscapes and evolutionary events with remarkable completeness for a span of nearly 80 million years. The terrain ranges from picturesque coastlines subject to modern erosion and other natural processes, to rugged, uplifted mountains where the geologic history of Southern California is exposed from the late Cretaceous period (65 million to 80 million years ago) to the late Pleistocene period (less than 1 million years ago) and largely intact.

OC Parks encompasses regional, wilderness and historical facilities, as well as coastal areas throughout the County of Orange in California. Featuring 60,000 acres of parkland, open space and shoreline, Orange County’s award-winning parks and programs are enjoyed by millions of residents and visitors each year, in ways as diverse as the parks themselves.

OC Parks’ facilities offer something for just about everyone, whether for recreation, enjoying nature or learning about the history of Orange County. OC Parks is committed to managing land and facilities in a way that maximizes their enjoyment by the public, while properly maintaining and overseeing them so they are available for generations to come.

Common Animals	Animal Tracks
Common Plants	Arthropods
Birds	Invasive Weeds
Wildflowers	Butterflies

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Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park

Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park

O’Neill Regional Park

Black Star Canyon Wilderness Park

Buck Gully Reserve

Fremont Canyon Nature Preserve

Irvine Regional Park

Laguna Coast Wilderness Park

Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve

Weir Canyon Nature Preserve

Irvine Open Space Preserve

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