Join us for I HAD NO IDEA: The Ecological Reserve and Naturescape with Kailen Mooney!
“Typical of coastal areas in southern California, the UCI Ecological Preserve exists as a fragment of open space within an urban landscape and retains ecological attributes associated with a recent land use history of ranching and agriculture. The Preserve was established as part of a larger conservation effort in Orange County in the mid 1990’s to protect natural ecosystems in their entirety, including habitat linkages between open space areas necessary for their long term sustainability. This management plan is called the Natural Communities Conservation Plan and consists of over 30,000 acres of protected open space in central and coastal Orange County (occonservation.org/; www.wildlife.ca.gov/conservation/planning/nccp). This connection to other natural areas, combined with the mission of the University, positions the Preserve as an ideal site for furthering our understanding of natural areas, their interactions with human activities, and how best to manage for their sustainability and benefits to society.” – UCI Eco Preserve