Great Park Recognized for Innovative Ecological Restoration

OCTOBER 31, 2007 – IRVINE, California – Environmentally passionate Great Park ecologist Dr. Steven Handel was awarded the Members Award at the California Society for Ecological Restoration (SERCAL) Annual Conference October 25, 2007 in San Diego. Dr. Handel and the Great Park Design Studio Ecologists received this honor for their submission of a poster titled “Orange County Great Park: A Model for Large-Scale Ecological Restoration in an Urban Setting.” Dr. Handel is a member of the consulting team designing the Orange County Great Park, the first great metropolitan park of the 21st Century, located in the City of Irvine.

The Great Park poster was enthusiastically received by more than 200 restoration professionals from across California who attended the conference. Conference attendees agreed that the Orange County Great Park project itself clearly advances SERCAL’S objectives which include: the science, art and practice of ecological restoration; protecting, restoring and monitoring native habitat; and working with public agencies to improve standards for ecological restoration. The poster also was specially selected because of its presentation style, clarity, use of photos, readability and overall esthetics.

One major goal for the 1,347 acre Great Park is to highlight and restore hundreds of acres of diverse native plant communities. Restored habitats will be found in three major sections of the Park, the Agua Chinon, the Canyon and the Wildlife Corridor. The Wildlife Corridor, off limits to the general public, will be reserved for animal movement, providing an essential ecological backbone for the Park and a critical biotic link between existing natural areas in coastal and central Orange County. Agua Chinon, a natural waterway buried in a concrete channel for the last 60 years, will be day-lighted and reestablished as a functioning southern California riparian ecosystem. Within the Canyon, a perennial stream and ponds, reflective of southern California’s foothill and lowland aquatic habitats, will support a wide variety of native plants and animals. The Canyon will also showcase unusual habitats, including vernal pools, rock outcrops, and fern grottos.

The Orange County Great Park, which is almost twice the size of Central Park, will be a major metropolitan park and the focal point of the redevelopment of the 4,700-acre former Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro. The Great Park will include extensive natural areas and open space in addition to recreational, educational, and cultural uses.

The Great Park Design Studio is multi-disciplinary master design team that includes ecologists, landscape architects, civil engineers, and urban planners. ”We have a daily, intense collaboration across many design disciplines. A special feature of the Great Park is how ecology and sustainability are totally integrated across all aspects of the landscape, and I am sure this novel approach influenced our selection for this wonderful statewide award.” said Dr. Steven Handel.

For more information, please go to www.ocgp.org.

Press Contacts:
Maryann Maloney
(949) 375-0856