Capturing the Grandeur of an Urban Wilderness With David Stoecklein

Although more than three million people in Orange County live within minutes of natural wonders comparable to those found in national parks, many residents have no idea they exist. Even fewer know that most of the 50,000-acre network of permanently preserved land and Open Space in the heart of the OC metropolis is open to the public.

But now they can experience a picture tour of this vast wilderness—one of the largest urban Open Spaces in the United States—in the Southern California Coastal Mountains to the Sea. The 208-page book illustrates the unique beauty of the land and its history, as well as the significance of its recent designation as a National Natural Landmark.

The rolling hillsides of Orange County, whether layered with native grasses, chaparral or oak woodlands, host some of the most diverse wildlife in the country. Dramatic canyons cradle spectacular rock formations, ancient archeological sites and even dinosaur fossils. Vibrant estuaries shelter thousands of sea birds.

Sandy beaches stretch for miles under scenic bluffs.

“It’s like having a national park in our own backyard. We have a resource of national significance,” said Michael O’Connell, Executive Director of the Irvine Ranch Conservancy, a non-profit organization that helps manage the natural Open Space on what was once the historic Irvine Ranch.®

The coffee table book, which features more than 150 color photographs, was published to increase awareness of the Open Space and parklands available for visitors to explore and enjoy. Book proceeds will be contributed to the Irvine Ranch Conservancy for their ongoing work to help care for the Open Space which enhances and preserves these ecologically important lands in perpetuity.

“We have such diverse landscape so the book breaks it down into chapters that have their own recognizable character and identity. For example, the Fremont Canyon chapter is the wild back country, whereas Crystal Cove is the classic California coast and Bommer Canyon is the history of the ranching days and future of public access and recreation,” O’Connell said.

For over a century, the lands mainly were used by cowboys for cattle grazing. Today, they are recognized as biologically important and are undergoing constant enhancement and restoration efforts. At the same time, the public can access miles upon miles of wilderness trails designated for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.

In the book, readers are guided through the varied Open Space and parkland regions, including the “Back Bay” in Newport Beach, one of the largest coastal wetlands in Southern California and home to nearly 200 species of birds. Much of the book showcases the diverse and dramatic canyon lands that line the eastern edge of Orange County. Black Star Canyon, once called “Canon de los Indios,” was a major thoroughfare for early settlers. Fremont Canyon, with its narrow passageway known as “choked canyon,” is often referred to as “the Yosemite of Orange County” because of its large granite outcrops and spectacular steep canyon walls. And Weir Canyon, where numerous fossils have been discovered, including those of a duckbilled dinosaur dating back to nearly 80 million years ago.

Acclaimed photographer David R. Stoecklein shot more than 10,000 photographs over five months to capture as many of the Ranch’s iconic nature images as possible, from clusters of prickly pear cactus and California poppies to soaring hawks and coyotes. Nothing missed his attention: coastal fog, hidden waterfalls and old-growth live oaks. Mule deer, dolphins and owls. Sea shells, lizards, red rocks and even clouds.

“I wanted to get everything,” said Stoecklein, whose professional quest has been to chronicle the American West.

It’s like having a national park in our own backyard. We have a resource of national significance. Michael O’Connell

O’Connell said Stoecklein was masterful at taking extreme close-ups to capture the details of a delicate wild flower or intricate markings of a native bird.

“When we first started, the idea was getting big pictures of big landscapes. But David is exceptional at capturing the close-ups and character of the land,” O’Connell said. “It’s said that one of the best ways to experience the spectacular nature of these habitats is from a bug’s eye view. This is a global hot spot for biological diversity, and David recognized and captured that.”

To get an overall perspective, Stoecklein rode in helicopters above the entire Open Space to depict the vastly different habitat, from the deeply forested oak woodlands to the unique geological feature known as “The Sinks” in Limestone Canyon. Naturally carved from rock formations some 32 million years old, “The Sinks” and its red-hued, eroded ravines resemble a miniature Grand Canyon.

“He also took a beautiful shot of Shady Canyon from 900 feet in the air that shows how the Open Space fills the entire picture and it’s hard to see any of the surrounding development. And this is right in the middle of the city of Irvine,” O’Connell said. “It shows how diverse the habitats are and the size of the preserves.”

Besides revealing the range of habitat and inhabitants of the Open Space, Stoecklein also realized how quickly the landscape changed, whether from dawn to dusk, or during weather shifts, or throughout the year.

“The challenge is to tell the whole story,” Stoecklein said. “It’s like you are in a race in California from the green season to the brown season. The challenge was to show something different than what everyone had already seen and shown, and to show it in various lights and to cover it all.”

David R. Stoecklein, photographer

Stoecklein launched his career taking lifestyle shots of skiing, fishing, hiking and biking for companies such as Ski Magazine, L.L. Bean, Reebok, Timberland and Scientific Angler. It was not long, however, before he turned his lens to his neighbors on the great ranches of the West, including California. Stoecklein has published over 40 books celebrating the American West and is one of Canon’s distinguished “Explorers of Light” photographers. He resides in Idaho with his wife, Mary, and three sons.

David R. Stoecklein, photographer­­

David R. Stoecklein, photographer