A quiet moment of discovery unfolded at the Quail Hill Trailhead: A young boy in a Shohei Ohtani Dodgers T-shirt stood captivated, carefully observing a ladybug he had safely caught in a translucent cup.

It was just one of many ways residents connected with nature during April’s open space celebration hosted by the city of Irvine, Irvine Ranch Conservancy and Irvine Company. The morning event drew a large crowd eager to appreciate the protected lands that define the city’s master-planned design.

“This land is more than just open space,” says Michael O’Connell, president and CEO of Irvine Ranch Conservancy, which manages the open space. “It’s among the most biologically diverse places on the planet. We are in the botanical equivalent of a rainforest or a coral reef.”

O’Connell noted that Irvine Ranch lies within a rare Mediterranean climate zone – one of only five such regions on Earth. Though these zones make up just 2% of the planet’s land area, they support an estimated 20% of all known plant species.

After fueling up at the complimentary pancake breakfast, dozens of participants hit the trail for the day’s main excursion. IRC docents and officers on horses from the Irvine Police Department’s Mounted Unit led the hikers out for a trek on the scenic 1.8-mile Quail Hill Loop.

For many locals, these sprawling parks are the primary reason they call Irvine home. Sam Ko first arrived in the city in 1968 to attend UC Irvine. He and his wife, Lilin, eventually returned and settled here permanently because of the city’s beauty.

“We enjoy the open space because we like a lot of green areas,” he says, noting his pride that the city maintains one of the nation’s best parks systems.

That immediate access offers a critical mental reset for busy professionals. Julie Jockelle, an Irvine resident since 2009, appreciates that a five-minute drive transports her entirely away from urban life.

“You work hard during the week, and then on the weekend you have somewhere to go to relax and to be close to nature,” she says. 

Her 24-year-old son, Andrew, realized this only after moving to a denser city for college. Having ridden his bike along a nature trail every day to reach middle school, he acknowledges the unique value of his hometown’s natural environment was easy to overlook.

“You take it for granted until you don’t have it,” he says.