11/28/2001 The Irvine Company To Contribute More Than 11,000 Acres To Irvine Ranch Land Reserve As Permanent Open Space In one of the most significant milestones in the history of land conservation on the Irvine Ranch, The Irvine Company announced today it will permanently protect an additional 11,000 acres of beautiful and environmentally diverse land, most of it in the expansive northern sphere of the Irvine Ranch, bringing the total amount of land permanently protected for open space and recreation to 50,000 acres, more than half of the entire 93,000-acre Irvine Ranch. In addition to the northern sphere open space, the company announced that it will permanently protect a crucial 173-acre parcel of land near Laguna Beach that has been the focus of a vigorous 11-year preservation effort involving the community and the company. (See accompanying news release.) The land in the northern sphere long has been desired for protection by area residents, celebrated for its rugged natural beauty, and coveted by environmental groups for its natural habitats and native species. It is a giant swath --more than 17 square miles -- stretching east from Weir Canyon to the Cleveland National Forest, and includes Fremont Canyon, Blind Canyon and portions of Gypsum Canyon, Silverado Canyon, Santiago Canyon and Baker Canyon. “Our vision has been to leave more than half of the Irvine Ranch in permanent open space, greenbelts and recreation, and committed to public ownership,” Irvine Company Chairman Donald Bren said. “We will accomplish that with this historic action. “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’ve planned and built that offer an unparalleled quality of life.” The protected land is rich in biodiversity, containing numerous native plant and animal species, including several rare ones. Raptors, mountain lions and several species of rare birds, reptiles and amphibians are among the animals that inhabit the area. Native vegetation includes Tecate cypress forest, oak woodlands, chaparral, sage scrub and grasslands. By permanently protecting the land from development, The Irvine Company is preserving several complete watersheds and expanding significant wildlife linkages that enable animals to move freely. Today’s announcement follows a review and update of The Irvine Company’s Master Plan, which determined that the public would benefit if these lands were preserved for their open space and recreational values. The gift is not linked to any proposed development. The 11,000-plus acres will be protected through permanent conservation easements to be donated to The Nature Conservancy, one of the nation’s premier environmental organizations dedicated to the preservation of native species and natural habitats. Permanent conservation easements, which never expire and are irrevocable, are widely used by The Nature Conservancy and other groups to protect land for habitat conservation, open space and educational uses. The Irvine Company is permanently relinquishing its development rights to these lands. The Irvine Company will consult with The Nature Conservancy regarding any uses of the land for public infrastructure, such as fire roads and water tanks. The amount of acreage that can be used in these cases is minimal. The Nature Conservancy will manage the open space land, and work with The Irvine Company, local governments and community groups to plan for resource protection, habitat improvement and long-term uses, including appropriate public access as early as possible. Further, the company announced its commitment to convey the underlying fee title to the land over the next 10 years to appropriate municipalities or non-profit entities. “These newly protected natural areas are vital in ensuring the quality of human life and the survival of native species of plants and animals in the region,” said Graham Chisholm, executive director of The Nature Conservancy of California. The announcement was made at a gathering of community leaders celebrating the conservation milestone of permanently protecting more than half of the Irvine Ranch as parks and open space. A $30 million Bren Stewardship Fund was announced to support the long-term management, preservation and restoration of the natural resources on the Irvine Ranch Land Reserve, and to facilitate accelerated public access to the lands, where environmentally appropriate. (See accompanying news release.) The event was attended by more than 200 people who have been involved over the years with local open space issues, including leaders from community preservation groups; environmental organizations and local and regional government officials. |
