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A Higher Standard of Stewardship
Creating a Blueprint for Conservation Excellence
The mission of the Irvine Ranch Conservancy is to protect, restore and enhance the magnificent natural resources of the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, while helping people connect with and experience the land in enjoyable and compatible ways. Working closely with landowners and other partners on innovative programs that are firmly grounded in science and adaptive management, the Conservancy is helping fulfill a shared vision of conservation excellence. Long-term Health of the Land Such a bold ambition takes considerable work and collaboration to achieve. The Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks encompass nearly 40,000 acres of protected land adjacent to one of the most densely-populated areas in the nation. Decades of land uses such as grazing, combined with surrounding urbanization and frequent catastrophic wildfires, have left portions of the Landmarks’ native habitats congested with harmful, fast-spreading invasive weeds. These botanical pests make the land even more vulnerable to wildfires and habitat degradation. An enormous -- and urgent -- opportunity exists to improve the habitats and ecological health of these rare and beautiful lands through strategic, long-term restoration and fire-prevention programs. The permanent protection of the land, and the management partnerships established by the Irvine Ranch Conservancy and its collaborators, provide the foundation for such a critical initiative. The Initiative Drawing on the collective resources and expertise of partners, volunteers and managers, IRC is spearheading a comprehensive initiative to restore habitats and remove invasive species to increase the Landmarks’ ecological health, and the land’s resistance to threats such as fire and climate change. This innovative program focuses on improving large patches of habitat in places that have the most ecological value, as well as preventing wildfire across the Landmarks. "The designation of these spectacular lands as a Natural Landmark by both the U.S. National Park Service and the State of California makes it clear that we must do everything possible to protect them forever," IRC Executive Director Michael O’Connell says. "The land is permanently preserved as open space. But without the kind of comprehensive, restoration and fire-prevention efforts we’re planning, the long-term health of the rare and globally important ecosystems found here remains at risk. Taking bold, decisive action now will help ensure that future generations can enjoy the same wonderful landscapes and rare natural communities that we do today." A Strategy for Stewardship Scientists call the ability of an ecosystem to resist or recover from impacts "Ecological Resilience." IRC’s initiative is designed to increase this resilience by removing invasive species and promoting habitat restoration in places on the land that have the highest benefit at the lowest cost, and with the greatest chance of success. To identify these places, IRC is collaborating with the University of Queensland (UQ), Australia, to analyze and prioritize every potential restoration area on the Landmarks using a "Return on Investment" (ROI) model. UQ is the world leader in applying such analyses to conservation challenges. ROI is often used in business to evaluate potential investments, but this is the first time it has been used to prioritize restoration opportunities. "In addition to weeds, too-frequent fire is probably the greatest threat to the long term survival of these natural communities," explains Dr. Megan Lulow, senior field ecologist with IRC. "So, the Restoration and Resilience Initiative also includes aggressive wildfire prevention actions in partnership with the Orange County Fire Authority and community groups." The fire prevention strategies emerged from IRC’s recent comprehensive analysis of fire on the Landmarks and include not only expanding the successful Community Fire Watch Network, but also taking steps to make it harder for fires to ignite and burn large areas during high winds. IRC plans to use the ROI model to closely monitor and adapt its programs to ensure the most effective actions are always taken. To get involved in the Restoration and Resilience Initiative or other projects of IRC and its partners, visit http://www.irvineranchwildlands.org/involved/opMain.asp. To learn more about Stewardship on the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks, visit http://www.irconservancy.org/stewardship/science.aspx 
Land Stewards attack invasive castor bean in Agua Chinon.
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