County is fortunate to be home to thousands of acres of open space, nature reserves and parks.
Thanks to generous land donations by area government agencies, landowners and developers, local residents and surrounding communities have an abundance of recreational options at their fingertips, while endangered species have the opportunity to thrive in their natural environments. T he history of park donations by The Irvine Company dates back to 1897, when the 477-acre site for Irvine Regional Park was donated by James Irvine, making it the county's first regional park. In 1929, The Irvine Company and the Serrano Irrigation District created the 770-acre Irvine Lake. To date, The Irvine Company has donated 2,253 acres of open space that is adjacent to the city of Orange and available for public use and enjoyment. T he Irvine Company, in connection with The Nature Conservancy, which manages open space until it is turned over to the county, is at the forefront of conservation efforts to preserve and manage the area's most environmentally sensitive land.