Welcome To The Banning Ranch Conservancy
Banning Ranch is located along the Santa Ana River where it meets the ocean.
Banning Ranch is a 401-acre area of wetlands and coastal bluffs in West Newport Beach where the Santa Ana River meets the Pacific Ocean. It is the last large parcel of unprotected coastal open space remaining in Southern California, and is the central element of the proposed Orange Coast River Park, which, when realized, will achieve a significant linkage of open spaces and wetlands. Banning Ranch supports a mix of coastal wetland, riparian woodland, coastal bluff sagescrub, shortgrass grassland, and vernal pool communities that are without parallel anywhere in Orange County.
At least six wildlife species listed as threatened or endangered have been documented on Banning Ranch: San Diego Fairy Shrimp, Light-footed Clapper Rail, American Peregrine Falcon, Least Bell’s Vireo, California Gnatcatcher and Belding’s Savannah Sparrow. In an era where nearly all remaining privately owned open space in Orange County is being developed, Banning Ranch is truly a gem and deserving of being called “Nature’s last stand.”
Banning Ranch News
Add Your Name to the Letter of Support
Deadline: Friday, May 20th
The Conservancy sends monthly e-newsletters to our donors, supporters, and interested parties. Join the Conservancy in supporting the Wildlife Conservation Board by adding your name to our letter. This month’s e-newsletter covered three key topics:
- Thank You to Supporters for Outreach on the Coastal Conservancy Grant
- Next Steps on the Banning Ranch Acquisition
- Call for Volunteers for the Annual Fish Fry (June 3-5)
SIGN UP FOR E-MAIL NOTICES
Conservancy to Hire
Community Engagement Coordinator
The Conservancy is shifting its focus in anticipation that the property will close escrow in the coming months. To this end, BRC is launching a new position that brings the community together and ensures your voice is present.
We are expanding our team to include a Community Engagement Coordinator.
BRC serves as an important bridge between the property’s stewardship and the public. Would you donate to help fund this new position? We hope so!
The Community Engagement Coordinator will have key deliverables to meet, including but not limited to:
- Building strategic local partnerships
- Expanding community engagement opportunities
- Implementing a volunteer program
DONATE TO SUPPORT THIS POSITION!
WHAT YOUR SUPPORT ALLOWS US TO DO
NEWS / MEDIA
Costa Mesa Council Supports Preservation of Banning Ranch
A decades-long effort to acquire and preserve Banning Ranch, an oil field near the Santa Ana River, was unanimously endorsed Tuesday by the Costa Mesa City Council, a move conservationists say … Read More…