The Sustainable Care and Management of the Irvine Ranch Orchards

The residential enclaves of Orchard Hills and Portola Springs are nestled among privately-owned working avocado orchards that offer residents an intimate connection to nature and Irvine’s ranching history that dates back to the 1860s.

The orchards are operated by Irvine Valencia Growers (IVG), which has created one of the most sustainable, naturally driven agriculture operations of its size in Southern California.

IVG only grows avocados, which is intentional. Avocado trees are recognized as the hardiest and cleanest of all fruit species.

IVG has voluntarily adopted the following policies set forth in the City’s Integrated Pest Management Program, which were designed for public property and parks.

• Weed abatement: All weed abatement is managed by hand. Glyphosate (active ingredient of RoundUp) is not used.
• Pest management: The following steps are taken to manage pests that threaten the health of the avocado groves.
  • • First, consistent with recognized best practices, “good bugs” are used to manage “bad bugs” and are generally sufficient to manage the groves.
    • Next, if bugs are not effective, organic-based pesticides are used. (These two methods represent 99% of the treatments used.)
    • Lastly, in accordance with city policy, conventional pesticides are used to protect infested trees when organic-based treatments are not effective. This occurs about once per year in targeted areas of the grove.

Water conservation is an important element of IVG’s commitment to sustainable practices, which includes perfecting the use of drip irrigation strategies to reduce evaporation and runoff. In addition, the orchards are connected to the Irvine Ranch Water District’s recycled water system – meaning drinkable water is not used to irrigate the orchards.

In addition to their natural beauty, the well-maintained orchards provide a real community benefit of serving as a “fuel modification zone” that creates a buffer between residential neighborhoods and potential wildfires within the surrounding preserved open space.