50 Years Of Service 1961-2011


SMRPD's Mission Statement
- "To promote community well being through programs and activities that protect, preserve and enrich the canyons’ heritage, open space and unique way of life."

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Goldenspotted Oak Beetle is on the way and it's not friendly to our trees

Goldenspotted Oak Beetle is on the way and it’s not friendly to our trees

Goldenspotted Oak Beetle Information Southern California Citizen Scientist Tree Health Survey Form A Field Guide to Insects and Diseases of California Oaks Sierra Madre Patch Article Wikipedia Post From the website below: “Goldspotted oak borer infestation is contributing to the on-going oak tree mortality occurring on federal, state, private, and Native American lands in San...
Maple Springs Gate Open

Maple Springs Gate Open

It’s finally open to the relief of some and consternation of others. I drove up the road today in my Jeep and while the lower section has been re-paved in some sections the upper dirt section does have some damage and work that has changed the nature of the road making it seem like a...
Vision Quest 2011

Vision Quest 2011

Today was the day of the epic Vision Quest race. A total of 55.2 miles with 11,200′ of climbing from Black Star Canyon down the motorway then up Maple Springs ending at O’Neill Park. I was there to present the first of a series of four $50 awards in this case a gift certificate purchased...
Pictures of life in the canyons in the 1940s

Pictures of life in the canyons in the 1940s

From Deanna Craig’s sister these are some great shots of life in Ladd Canyon back in the 1940′s Deanna’s grandma Arline Brown, aunt Frances Brown and mom Susie Brown in Silverado Creek. Grandma Arline Brown, mom Susie Brown and unidentified friend in what I think is Ladd Canyon Grandma Arline Brown, aunt Frances Brown, mom...
The Canyon Orange County We Call Home

The Canyon Orange County We Call Home

This short film captures the essence of why we live here and why so many others come to visit. If this video doesn’t play then click here. Mountain Man from Jonathan Formica on Vimeo.
Storm Damage Assessment Hike

Storm Damage Assessment Hike

All photos by Mike Boeck Mike invited me to go with him and Jim as one of two groups doing an assessment of damage to roads in the Black Star Canyon area. We took the Edison road off Black Star Canyon Rd. The damage wasn’t too bad but the scenery was gorgeous.
Irvine Ranch Conservancy/RICOH Invasive Plant Removal

Irvine Ranch Conservancy/RICOH Invasive Plant Removal

(Posted for and all photos by Mike Boeck) On Saturday, March 5, about sixty volunteers from RICOH, including the company president, participated in an invasive plant removal program in OC Parks’ Limestone Canyon. As a lead land steward for the Irvine Ranch Conservancy, I supervised a group of about a dozen people who spent several...
Ladd Canyon

Ladd Canyon

I took a hike up Ladd Canyon with Carl up past his place and onto the Takahashi property. Lot’s of damage to the road so we had quite a steep hike to near the end. The ridge to the west looks like a great addition to the section we did for a complete loop. I’ll...
Green Vision Coalition Map

Green Vision Coalition Map

This gives you an idea of where the Green Vision Coalition is heading. The coalition is many non-governmental organization (NGOs) and us the SMRPD as the only government agency forging a powerful force to make Orange County a vision that other will want to copy in this era of sound environmental practices without detriment to...
Harding Canyon

Harding Canyon

This is an alder root that was most likely covered in dirt before the Dec 2010 storms. The reddish tint is what happens when it is scrubbed by rushing water. It’s an easy indicator of how high the water got. Another interesting aspect of these is that these roots smell like leather.
New pool up Harding Canyon

New pool up Harding Canyon

Ellen and I are standing above a new pool created after the Dec 2010 storm. What’s interesting to see here is the dirt banks above our shoulders. We’re standing on the rock formation that this pool contains now. Before the storm there was no pool here and this rock was most likely covered in decades...