The Nature Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo is a growing habitat reserve located in South Orange County. Over time The Nature Reserve will grow to include over 20,000 acres of Rancho Mission Viejo lands, inclusive of The Richard & Donna O’Neill Conservancy. This protected open space is managed by the Rancho Mission Viejo Land Trust, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to "preserve and enhance Reserve lands for ecological, educational, charitable, conservation, open space, scientific, and recreational uses."

Species Spotlight

San Diego and Riverside Fairy Shrimp 

Fairy shrimp are one of the seven endangered species protected on The Nature Reserve. These freshwater crustaceans occur in vernal pools. Vernal pools are seasonal wetlands that form in depressions of gently sloping grasslands where the ground beneath is composed of hard clay or bedrock. They collect water during the winter through spring, typically drying up by summer and remaining dry through fall. These pools are important habitats for a variety of plants and animals. Some are specialized to grow and breed in the short lifespan of these pools, such as the fairy shrimp, staying dormant until the pools fill with water again.

Fairy shrimp have a relatively short life cycle, lasting several weeks as they hatch from egg-like cysts and ending as the pools dry out with the females laying their cysts. The eggs of fairy shrimp are extremely hardy, encased with a thick, protective shell that lets them withstand long dry periods and extreme temperatures. Fairy shrimp are filter feeders which eat algae, bacteria, and bits of waste from other plants and animals present in their environments.

Sadly, more than 90% of California’s vernal pools have been lost but one good example is preserved in The Nature Reserve. This protected vernal pool is home to two endangered species of fairy shrimp, the Riverside Fairy Shrimp (Streptocephalus woottoni) and the San Diego Fairy Shrimp (Branchinecta sandiegonensis).

Help protect the fairy shrimp and other sensitive and endangered species by respecting habitat reserve boundaries, staying on trails in open space areas, and learning more about these incredible creatures.

Fairy Shrimp

 

Upcoming Events
FOR PUBLIC

Trail Mixer - Get to Know The Nature Reserve

Free | All Ages (recommended 10 & up)
7:00PM - 8:30PM

NAN
99

public
Sep|21|2023-09-21
FOR PUBLIC

Cancelled - Astronomy Night

$5-$10, Free/Supporter | 8 & up | Easy
8:00 PM - 10:00 PM

NAN
99

public
Sep|23|2023-09-23
FOR PUBLIC

Ridge to Ridge Hike

$5-$10, Free/Supporter | 10 and up | Moderate w/some strenuous hills
7:30 AM - 10:00 AM

NAN
99

public
Sep|24|2023-09-24
FOR PUBLIC

Coffee, Tea, and the Birds

Free | 12 & up | Easy
8:00 AM - 11:00 AM

NAN
99

public
Sep|26|2023-09-26
FOR PUBLIC

Tuesday Afternoon Open Access on Chiquita Ridge

FREE | 10 & Up | Moderate - Strenuous
2:00 - 5:00 PM

NAN
99

residents
Sep|26|2023-09-26
FOR PUBLIC

Tuesday Afternoon Open Access on Chiquita Ridge

FREE | 10 and up | Moderate-Strenuous
2:00 - 5:00 PM

NAN
99

residents
Oct|3|2023-10-03
FOR PUBLIC

Tuesday Afternoon Open Access on Chiquita Ridge

FREE | 10 and up | Moderate-Strenuous
2:00 - 5:00 PM

NAN
99

residents
Oct|10|2023-10-10
FOR PUBLIC

Volunteer Orientation and Training

Free | 18 and Up
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

NAN
99

volunteer
Oct|11|2023-10-11
Follow Us