The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is leading an effort to restore 387.6 acres of land along the Santa Ana River in Orange County. Previously known as Banning Ranch, the space between Newport Beach and Costa Mesa will now be called the Frank and Joan Randall Preserve.
As the largest stretch of private open space on the Southern California coast, the land previously served as an active oil field for over eighty years. In 2022, TPL secured funding to protect the land and turn it into a public park, and a great deal of work remains to restore the area’s natural ecosystems.
The land also holds major significance for the Indigenous Tongva and Acjachemen people, who knew the area as a village called Genga. Archeologists have documented numerous cultural sites at the preserve dating back over 3,000 years, including three listed as sacred by the California State Native American Heritage Commission.
“There are seven tribes that are going to be engaging with us in tribal consultation for decisions around the tribal access and engagement plan,” said tribal engagement officer Liam Walsh, according to ABC7. In the next few years, the plan includes a formal name selection that reflects the cultural significance of the area.
With funding secured and the land protected, the next step is to remove over 450 wells and rusty oil derricks. The property contains a diverse combination of “coastal wetland, riparian woodland, coastal bluff sage scrub, vernal pools,” as well as 18 endangered, threatened, or sensitive species to protect. After that, the public is invited to participate in the future of the preserve, with the potential to add playgrounds, campgrounds, and hiking trails.
Protecting the Frank and Joan Randall Preserve is a major milestone for some ambitious environmental goals. The TPL strives to create a park or green space within a 10-minute walk from every person in California, and this location will be within a 1-hour drive for 8 million nearby residents. It’s also significant for California’s ambitious 30×30 initiative, which works to conserve 30% of the state’s land and coastal waters by 2030.
Much work remains, but you can support the Trust for Public Land to aid in the future of this significant coastal preserve in Orange County.