Orange County offers residents a chance to actually work on preserving public lands, all while getting in a scenic hike through the Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve – one of few off-trail programs offered within the county’s protected open space.
“These events are a way to see the land and be involved in it,” said Finnegan Poulin, an Irvine resident who has volunteered on several land stewardship hikes. “It’s nice to learn about where you are hiking, know more about the area and the effort that goes into making it nice, because obviously the trails take a lot of maintenance”
“You gain a greater appreciation for the land, just by knowing more about it.”
Matilde De Santiago, Program Coordinator in Restoration Enhancement with IRC, said that it’s important to bring the public into stewardship activities.
“The public needs to be a voice for preserving these areas, the wild areas that we’re diminishing every decade as we develop,” said De Santiago, who led the activity on Aug. 19. “It’s important to get the public to see this so that they can be advocates.”
“The volunteers and public that come out create a connection to the open space. Sometimes it’s because of a memory they have. The smells or sounds can trigger memories.”
Volunteers participated in activities such as weeding, watering and mulching after strapping on snake gaiters at the Augustine Staging Area where the event started.
Gaiters offer protection to the lower legs against potential bites during snake season in California – April through October – when rattlesnakes become more active following winter.
Members of the public find the stewardship to be healing for themselves along with the land.
“For me, nature is healing and it brings peace, especially since I’ve worked with the Irvine Ranch Conservancy, there’s such dedication to taking care of the wildlife, to taking care of the fauna, and just encouraging everything to grow, and bringing people into that and appreciating nature,” said Julie Kloiber, who began volunteering in land stewardship events and participating in other events with IRC after her retirement in April.
Two consecutive fires in 2020 destroyed the project, which began in 2014 to narrow the hiking trail into a single-track trail.
In the 1990s, the trail was used to transport cattle according to the conservancy. Historically inhabited by Indigenous groups such as the Gabrieleño-Tongva, the area was used for ranching from the mid-1800s to the early 2000s.
After completing land stewardship activities, participants hiked the trail to reach Dripping Springs.
Estimated to be 20 to 40 million years old, Dripping Springs is a year-round spring formed through ground water trickling out the side of a sandstone rock face.
“The water drips out of the porous surface creating a sensitive oasis with lush ferns and gorgeous orchids and acts as a hidden grotto for wildlife to collect a cool drink and to rest from the warm canyon life,” said Scott Graves, Communications Manager with the Irvine Ranch Conservancy.
Due to it being considered a sensitive site, the spring is only accessible on guided hikes posted online.
Restoration in the Dripping Springs area will continue into this winter, as the conservancy intends to plant another 30 coastal live oaks.
Erika Taylor is a Voice of OC Tracy Wood Reporting Fellow and photojournalist. You can find her on Instagram @camerakeepsrolling or email at etaylor@voiceofoc.org
