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ANNUAL SPRING TOURS WILL SHOWCASE WILDFLOWERS, FIRE RECOVERY
Biologist will lead free tours of areas set aside with construction of the 241 and 73 Toll Roads
IRVINE, Calif. (March 27, 2008) – The public is invited to get up close to this Spring’s spectacular wildflowers as part of the Transportation Corridor Agencies’ 2008 Native Habitat Tour Series. A wildflower tour of Upper Chiquita Canyon, a 1,182-acre conservation area, is one of four free tours offered in April and May through open space areas that were protected or restored during construction of the 73, 241, 261, and 133 Toll Roads. All of the tours are led by biologists and scientists who oversee the conservation areas. The following tours are being offered:
Siphon Reservoir
Burn Recovery Hike, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. April 12. The 214-acre site, developed in conjunction with the 241 Toll Road, includes preserved and restored coastal scrub habitat surrounding Siphon Reservoir. The restored area was formerly a citrus orchard. Participants will see the wildflowers that have bloomed following the Santiago Fire. A plant ecologist will discuss fire recovery and the resurgence of specific plants that follow fires in Southern California. This tour will also include information about the restoration techniques used to create sustainable habitat for the California gnatcatcher, a threatened songbird.
Upper Chiquita Canyon
Wildflower & Bird Watching Tour, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 26. This conservation area located near Coto de Caza was preserved as part of the construction of the 241 Toll Road. This hike gives participants a peek at an area rich with coastal sage scrub, oak woodland, perennial grassland and natural drainage habitats. The natural history of the site, including geology, soils, plants, insects, birds and reptiles will be the focus of this hike.
Upper Laurel Canyon
Wildlife Undercrossing Hike, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. May 10. This six-mile hike begins in the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park and leads participants up through an oak woodland canyon, toward the 73 Toll Road. It continues through a wildlife undercrossing where participants can look for tracks and identify wildlife using the crossing. The hike will continue to a scenic point overlooking Shady Canyon, Laguna Canyon and beyond. The plant ecologist who oversees the Toll Road slopes will describe restoration techniques used to create sustainable habitat along the slopes for the California gnatcatcher, a threatened songbird.
Bonita Wetlands
Restoration & Bird Watching Tours, Bird Watching: 6 a.m. - 9 a.m. Restoration Hike: 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. May 17. The 21-acre Bonita Creek restoration site is the main wildlife link from Upper Newport Bay to the San Joaquin Hills and was restored in association with the construction of the 73 Toll Road. This creek was restored from a narrow riprap lined ditch and underground culverts to a viable riparian habitat. The walk will include a path along San Diego Creek to a restored saltwater marsh. Bird watchers will see wetland, riparian, and coastal sage scrub bird species. The restoration hike will focus on plants and the methods used to restore the creek and riparian habitat.
About TCA
More than 2,100 acres of open space have been protected or restored in association with construction of the 73, 241, 261 and 133 Toll Roads. The Toll Roads are operated by the Transportation Corridor Agencies, two joint powers authorities formed by the California state legislature in 1986 to plan, finance, construct, and operate Orange County's 67-mile public toll road system. Fifty-one miles of the system are complete, including the San Joaquin Hills (73) Toll Road from Newport Beach to San Juan Capistrano; and the Foothill/Eastern Toll Roads (241, 261, 133) from the 91 Freeway to south Orange County.
The final section of the system, the 16-mile 241 Toll Road extension, has been the subject of regional planning efforts for decades. It is a critical component of the approved regional transportation plans and transportation improvement programs of Southern California. The alignment was selected after exhaustive study and a collaborative effort by local, state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Highway Administration, Caltrans, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and TCA. The California Coastal Commission voted against a permit for the project in February. TCA has appealed the Coastal Commission decision to the federal Secretary of Commerce. The appeal is expected to be resolved in late 2008.
Members of the media are invited to participate in any of the tours or make special arrangements for tours at other times by contacting Jennifer Seaton at (949) 754-3417. |
