Places We Protect

Protecting Orange County’s fragile habitats and wildlife is one of our highest priorities. Our more than 2,100 acres of open space and wildlife habitat span across 17 different mitigation sites – many of which are home to the federally protected songbird, the California gnatcatcher.

These sites are like a time machine to bygone days, when ranchers, farmers, cattle and the occasional mountain lion populated Orange County. To balance construction of The Toll Roads, the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) has preserved these open spaces in perpetuity – which means the special lands will be preserved for generations to come.

Many of TCA’s mitigation sites have limited public access to protect the plants and animals within them; however, you can learn more about each site below.

View Environmental Programs & Projects

TCA Mitigation Areas (PDF)

Bonita Creek and Reservoir Mitigation Site
SJHTCA
Once a narrow concrete channel, Bonita Creek in Newport Beach has been restored by the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency to a thriving wetland and coastal sage scrub community.
Cañada Gobernadora
F/ETCA & SJHTCA
Cañada Gobernadora is former farmland that sits in a broad valley in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains and is near a tributary to the San Juan Creek.
Coyote Canyon
SJHTCA
Coyote Canyon, a mid-century landfill closed in 1990, serves as a special linkage for native wildlife between the San Joaquin Hills and Upper Newport Bay.
Limestone Canyon
F/ETCA
Limestone Mitigation Site is an old sand and gravel mining site located within the Limestone Canyon Regional Park.
Live Oak Plaza
F/ETCA
Live Oak Plaza serves as an important buffer to national forest lands, maintains the integrity of adjacent wildlife corridors and safeguards natural habitats for sensitive species.
UCI Ecological Reserve
SJHTCA
We funded the implementation of a coastal sage scrub restoration project on the UCI campus within its open space preserve.
Upper Chiquita Canyon
F/ETCA
Located in Rancho Santa Margarita, the land at Upper Chiquita Canyon was previously used for agriculture and cattle grazing and was zoned for residential and golf course development.
Saddle Club
F/ETCA
Once slated for residential development, the property known as Saddle Club will be preserved as natural habitat in perpetuity.
San Diego Creek
SJHTCA
The San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency began restoration at the San Diego Creek Salt Water Marsh in 1996.
Siphon Reservoir
F/ETCA
Siphon Reservoir is a former citrus grove that has been successfully restored to its natural habitat by the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency.
Strawberry Farms
F/ETCA
The Strawberry Farms restoration site is located within the 360-acre Quail Hill Preserve in Irvine.
73 and 241 Slopes
F/ETCA & SJHTCA
We carefully planned the restoration of native habitat slopes along the roads to ensure they complemented the existing open space areas.
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