84 Acres of Trabuco Canyon Set Aside as Open Space

Surrounded by the sound of chirping birds, county officials met in a woodland area Friday to announce the preservation of  Saddle Creek South, a $3.2-million parcel that borders Cleveland National Forest.

The Orange County Transportation Authority bought the 84-acre Trabuco Canyon property to set aside as open space, the first purchase made under a $240-million program designed to counter the environmental effects of freeway projects.

“Today one of our dreams has come true,” said Melanie Schlotterbeck, vice chair of the OCTA Environmental Oversight Committee, standing a few dozen yards north of the parcel. “I challenge all of us to keep making history.”

Saddle Creek South lies on the south side of Live Oak Canyon Road in the eastern portion of unincorporated Orange County.

After the ceremony, a number of attendees hiked around the new property. Click here to see pictures. 

Funding for the project comes from Measure M2, the half-cent sales tax increase that was approved by county voters in 2006.

Saddle Creek South is the first land bought under OCTA’s M2 Freeway Environmental Mitigation Program, which aims to offset the environmental damage from 13 upcoming Measure M2-funded freeway projects.

Over the next 30 years, OCTA plans to spend $240 million of the measure's freeway budget—5 percent of about $4.8 billion—on the program.

About 40 people attended Friday's event at 19082 Santiago Canyon Road.

Silverado Canyon resident Brett Peterson called the land purchase “hopefully the start of a good thing.”

“It’s just the beginning of a 30-year process to get more of the property ... and to preserve open space,” said Peterson, director of the Modjeska and Silverado Recreation and Park District.  

Saddle Creek South and the already-protected Saddle Creek North serve as a safe passage for wildlife traveling through southern and central Orange County, according to Jonathan Wynder, a biologist for the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife Services.

The area also acts as a habitat for live oak, coastal sage scrub and chaparral. Animals living in the area include the arroyo toad, the coastal cactus wren and the coastal California gnatcatcher.

Orange County Supervisor Pat Bates, the OCTA chair, said Friday's ceremony was “a special day” because she was able to celebrate with others who were passionate about preserving the environment.

“OCTA is purchasing land during a modest market, allowing our tax dollars to stretch even farther,” Bates said.

Click here to read OCTA’s press release about the event.