OC Waste & Recycling Partners with Irvine Ranch Conservancy to Restore Local Lands
OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR), in partnership with Irvine Ranch Conservancy (IRC), is actively installing native plants and trees to mitigate the effects of invasive species. Located in O’Neill Regional Park, this Trabuco Creek Mitigation project encompasses about 51 acres. In 2022, there will be considerable activity on the project, with IRC removing arundo root balls and constructing a wetland site. Over the next few years, IRC will work to restore these areas by planting native species, and with funding from OCWR, will continue to monitor and maintain the site in perpetuity.
Native species like sycamore trees will be planted over the next three years to combat the invasive Arundo, a bamboo-like plant naturally found in eastern Asia. The Arundo plant reproduces quickly and outcompetes native plant species for access to soil and water.
This restoration and habitat enhancement project is sponsored by OCWR and is mitigation for habitat impacts associated with the Prima Deshecha Landfill Zone 4 Expansion Project in southern Orange County.
The site was selected in cooperation with OC Parks staff familiar with O’Neill Park and Trabuco Creek habitats. Project plans were approved by the US Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Regional Water Quality Control Board. OCWR has contracted with IRC to implement and monitor this project for several years.
For more information including expanded project details and more before and after images, click the below.
