OCTA’s protected wilderness properties now have names that highlight their regional and environmental significance. Revealed during an OCTA-led hike on Feb. 24, the new names are:
- Wren’s View Preserve in Trabuco Canyon, previously O’Neill Oaks.
- Trabuco Rose Preserve in Trabuco Canyon, previously Ferber Ranch
- Bobcat Ridge Preserve in Trabuco Canyon, previously Hafen
- Live Oak Creek Preserve in Trabuco Canyon, previously Saddle Creek South
- Pacific Horizon Preserve in Laguna Beach, previously Aliso Canyon
- Eagle Ridge Preserve in Brea, previously Hayashi
- Silverado Chaparral Preserve in Silverado Canyon, previously MacPherson
“Renaming these wilderness preserves demonstrates OCTA’s continued commitment to protecting natural resources at the same time we make needed improvements to our freeways,” said OCTA Chairwoman Lisa Bartlett, also the Fifth District County Supervisor. “These properties were previously slated for development, but thanks to OCTA’s innovative approach and collaboration with the environmental community, they will remain pristine for generations to come.”
The seven properties total more than 1,300 acres and will be permanently preserved as natural open space. OCTA allocates funds to acquire land and fund habitat restoration projects in exchange for streamlined project approvals for all OC Go freeway improvement projects. OC Go (formerly Measure M) is Orange County’s half-cent sales tax to improve transportation efforts throughout the County.
In the month leading up to the hike, members of the public voted online to rename the properties.
For more information on OCTA’s open space properties or to sign up for a future guided hike or equestrian ride, visit here.