History
More Than a Century in the Making
In October 2006, after a detailed federal scientific evaluation process, the majority of The Irvine Ranch lands were designated a National Natural Landmark (NNL). This was the first NNL designated in California by the federal government since 1987. And in April 2008 many of these same lands were recognized with the first-ever designation under the new California Natural Landmarks (CNL) Program.
California and National Natural Landmarks are designated only after meeting rigorous scientific criteria. Areas chosen are those that best illustrate an area's rich biological and geological character; the scientific scrutiny considers the diversity and rarity of the area's geological or paleontological features, its natural communities habitat quality and the presence of rare, threatened or endangered species, and the land's value for science and education.
The designation of The Irvine Ranch NNL in October 2006 was a major milestone in the long history of stewardship on The Irvine Ranch. The 37,000 acres included in the designation are protected and maintained parks and open spaces owned by the Irvine Company, the County of Orange, the City of Irvine, The Nature Conservancy and California State Parks. Collectively, The Irvine Ranch NNL lands represent one of the few places in Southern California where habitats have been preserved stretching from the mountains to the sea. They offer protection to a wide variety of plants and animals, some endangered and others found nowhere else. The areas recognized include Crystal Cove State Park, Laguna Coast Wilderness Park and Bommer, Limestone and Fremont canyons.
As significant as it was, the NNL designation represented just one chapter in the story of open space preservation and access here, which has resulted in one of America's most environmentally diverse and valuable natural resources located within close reach of millions of urban residents.
A Major Gift … and a Turning Point
Another defining moment in the assembly of this spectacular open space network came in November 2001, when Irvine Company Chairman Donald Bren announced that an additional 11,000 acres of environmentally sensitive land on The Irvine Ranch would be permanently protected. The announcement meant that more than half of the entire ranch would be irrevocably protected.
Upon announcing the gift of land, Mr. Bren said: "My dream is that The Irvine Ranch will be known and celebrated as much for what is not developed here - the sweeping expanse of beautiful and valuable open space - as it is for the outstanding communities we have planned and built offering an unparalleled quality of life."
Building on a Foundation of Stewardship
Other milestones quickly followed. In May 2005, Mr. Bren announced formation of what today is known as The Irvine Ranch Conservancy, a non-profit organization created to help protect, restore and enhance the natural resources on The Irvine Ranch and to encourage the creation of new and diverse opportunities for public enjoyment and education. At the same time, Mr. Bren announced a $20 million gift to support the Conservancy's ambitious mission, which brought to $50 million the amount he has donated to enhance open space protection and access.
The Irvine Ranch Conservancy is building on the foundation of stewardship laid by The Nature Conservancy, which teamed with the Irvine Company in 1990 to comprehensively plan and manage the ranch's diverse open space resources and make more land accessible to the public. This "uncommon alliance," as the collaboration came to be known, lasted until 2006 when the Conservancy assumed day-to-day land management, planning and outdoor activities from The Nature Conservancy.
Other milestones over the last few years have included completion of the Mountains to Sea Trail, which stretches 22 miles from Weir Canyon in the foothills north of the city of Orange to Upper Newport Bay. The trail was named a National Recreation Trail in 2006 - the first Orange County trail in 30 years to receive the prestigious designation. Two other trails leading from the foothills to the ocean are in the planning stages.
The Irvine Ranch Conservancy is now embarking on an unprecedented era of partnership-building among the many landowners, land managers and other stewards on The Irvine Ranch. While diverse in operations, focus and goals, they all share one very important desire: to preserve, protect and enhance the ranch's unique natural resources to ensure they remain available to generations to come. As a major landowner, the Irvine Company shares that vital goal, and will continue to do its part to build even further on the remarkable legacy of open space and access on The Irvine Ranch.
Land Offers Something for Everyone
The natural wildlands, trails and parks on The Irvine Ranch offer something for everyone, including the recreation-minded and those who simply wish to experience nature's beauty and solitude. Outdoor lovers can choose from a variety of docent-led activities, including strenuous hikes or family outings to observe butterflies or examine animal prints embedded in the mud. They can pedal mountain bikes along bumpy rock-embedded trails, ride horses deep into steep-walled canyons, enjoy picnics on the beach, and play ball or toss a Frisbee in a park.
From an environmental perspective, The Irvine Ranch has it all. A wide range of habitats - from riparian forests and coastal sage scrub, to oak woodlands and grasslands - support a stunning array of native wildlife and vegetation. A diversity of animals, including rare and threatened species, call the ranch home, including California gnatcatcher, cactus wren, coast horned lizard, Western spade-foot toad and the American badger, among others.
Seven days a week, people from all walks of life - naturalists, university students, biologists, business leaders, homemakers - help restore coastal sage scrub habitat, remove non-native weeds, monitor the health of bobcats and caringly tend to nature in dozens of other ways. Their volunteer efforts ensure that the unique natural treasures of The Irvine Ranch will remain available for the personal enrichment and discovery of residents today, tomorrow, and always.
For more information on activities on The Irvine Ranch visit, www.irvineranchwildlands.org.