World-class Treasure
The goal of protecting precious natural resources has always received the same level of attention and careful planning as the creation of the acclaimed master-planned communities on The Irvine Ranch®. Under Irvine Company Chairman Donald Bren’s direction, some 50,000 acres of beautiful and nationally significant land in the heart of Orange County have been set aside forever as wildlands, parks and trails.
This land, which is home to hundreds of species of native plants and animals and offers every form of public recreation imaginable, stretches 22 miles from the mountains to the sea and represents more than half of The Irvine Ranch®.
In October 2006, after a detailed federal scientific evaluation process, the majority of The Irvine Ranch lands were designated a National Natural Landmark (NNL) by the Department of the Interior. This was the first NNL designated in California by the federal goverment since 1987. And in April 2008 many of these same lands were recognized with the first-ever designation under the new California Natural Landmark (CNL) Program.
Mr. Bren guided development and implementation of an innovative and far-reaching stewardship plan to protect, enhance, manage and increase access to these areas. As part of this plan, he committed $50 million and created the Irvine Ranch Conservancy to guide the steady evolution of this open space into a world-class environmental and recreational treasure.
Click here for more information on the Irvine Company’s stewardship of open space.