Keeping Orange County Wild

Believe it or not, there’s still plenty of undeveloped land behind our stucco homes – and watching over it are a number of hardworking conservancies.

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Photo by Stephen Franchis Limestone Canyon, a steep-walled sandstone ravine at the Irvine Ranch Conservancy

oday’s Orange County has become somewhat of a celebrity, complete with all the glamour and sophistication that comes with it. Orange County is seen as nothing but multi-million-dollar stucco mansions, master-planned communities and upscale shopping centers. The beaches and grand Pacific are mere backdrops. The palm and olive trees – perfectly trimmed and nicely aligned in rows – have become the “native” trees. Anybody craving a bit of nature can catch the latest IMAX in a nice air-conditioned Cineplex, or visit a climate-controlled interpretive center. Other than that, enjoy the boardwalk and frozen banana and don’t forget to pay the parking meter. If you can find a space, right?

Wrong.

It may come as a shock to most – even many longtime locals – but, in fact, Orange County still boasts a huge amount of undeveloped land, much of it totally wild. Specifically, 190,066 acres of natural habitat exist in the county, 165,000 of which is permanently protected. And though the pace of development has been brisk in the past 10 years, it is slowing, if for no other reason than developable OC land is running out. So, over the past 10 years, 34,064 acres have been developed, with another 11,800 expected to be over the next 12 years.

Keeping Orange County a little bit wild, though, is not easy work. As Irvine Ranch Conservancy Executive Director Michael O’Connell says, “Most people think you can just set the land aside and nothing else has to be done, but managing and protecting it is equally important.” That’s where conservancies come in, and Orange County is home to some dynamic and dedicated ones that not only work hard to keep the big orange green, but also help educate and excite the public.

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