The Irvine Ranch wildlands and parks - more than 50,000 acres of permanently protected open space in the heart of Orange County, California - offers a rich menu of recreational opportunities in its Irvine parks, from hiking and horseback riding to bird- watching and picnicking. As vast as it is beautiful, the land comprise more than half of the historic 93,000-acre Irvine Ranch, known for its master-planned communities and unique abundance of accessible wildlands, trails and Irvine parks. The Ranch was created over the last 100 years through conservation initiatives of The Irvine Company, community organizations and municipalities. The Irvine parks within the land are home to hundreds of species of native plants and animals, and features terrain varying from rugged mountains to rolling meadows to sandy beaches. The Irvine Ranch Conservancy serves as steward of the major wildlands on The Irvine Ranch and its many Irvine parks, integrating two primary roles: planning and managing the preservation and protection of the native habitat and species on the land, and coordinating appropriate public access to the area.