Irvine Inspired: Part 4 - Sustainability

Irvine Inspired pa r t 4 : s u s ta i n a b i l i t y

A 10-part series celebrating the people and milestones in and around Great Park Neighborhoods as the community celebrates its 10th anniversary.

Sustainability: Being Great by Going Green

Oliver & Kesler pose in front of the family’s tree when they first adopted it in July 2021. Participants in the tree-adoption program name their tree, visit it, take a photo and share the meaning behind its name.

Five-year-old twins Oliver & Kesler Aslanian may

Since the launch of the Adopt A Heritage Tree

have never met their great grandfather, but there’s a

program in spring of 2021, about 350 residents have

beautiful reminder of his military history and presence

participated and been assigned a tree. Each adopted

in their community near the intersection of Bosque

tree has a heartwarming and inspirational story to tell,

and Cadence at Great Park Neighborhoods.

with names that have sentimental value and a deeper

After sending an application to Great Park

meaning to the residents who adopt them.

Neighborhoods’ Adopt A Heritage Tree program in

These trees have aesthetic beauty and accompanying

2021, the Aslanian family was designated a Jacaranda

environmental benefits too. They provide shade and

tree and named it “Louie” to honor their great

reduce the heat island effect, while adding distinct

grandfather (a World War II veteran) and grandfather

character to the neighborhood.

(a Vietnam veteran) who both served in the Marine Corps.

Arguably the most recognizable of the decades-old heritage trees exists in the Aslanian’s neighborhood:

The boys’ great grandfather flew in and out of the

the parasol pine. It is a towering landmark that

former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, and their

became the namesake and focal point of one of Great

grandfather used to take their mom Karyn to air

Park Neighborhoods’ nine parks, Parasol Park.

shows on the base. The land is now home to Great Park Neighborhoods and the City of Irvine’s Great Park.

“Being able to tell my dad the story behind the tree was really cool,” said Karyn Aslanian, a resident of Parasol Park. “It’s so personal to us. We frequently take walks over there and say hi to Louie.”

FivePoint’s joint venture (Heritage Fields El Toro, LLC) has preserved nearly 1,000 heritage trees and replanted them throughout the individual neighborhoods.

In total, more than 7,000 trees have been planted across Great Park Neighborhoods’ streetscapes, parks, schools and open spaces.

A commitment to sustainability at Great Park Neighborhoods extends far beyond planting and preserving trees. It is woven into every element of the community. In honor of its 10th anniversary, here are 10 examples of eco-friendly initiatives that contribute to this healthy and thriving community:

10

Compost club

7

Landscaping

Great Park Neighborhoods has a thriving compost club

The community adopts smart, California-native,

where participants turn kitchen scraps into garden

drought-tolerant landscaping, which is aesthetically

goodness.

appealing and less dependent on water.

9

Walkable & bikeable

6

Landscaping

The community was planned and intentionally

Computer-managed irrigation systems adjust

built with wider sidewalks to make neighborhoods

watering based on weather patterns to minimize

walkable and bikeable. Every new household is offered

overspray, and high-efficiency spray heads are used to

a signature Great Park Neighborhoods-branded

circulate recycled water.

orange bike as a welcome gift (from FivePoint’s joint venture) as part of its homebuyer program, further encouraging residents to get outdoors and leave the car behind.

8

Energy efficiency Homebuilders have instituted a variety of energyefficient measures and materials ranging from ecofriendly doors, windows, appliances, heating and AC units, solar panels and tankless water heaters.

5

Greenhouses and gardens Residents have access to community gardens and greenhouses in Pavilion Park and Parasol Park.

4 Wildlife corridor

2

Runways into greenways

In collaboration with environmental organizations,

Approximately 276,000 tons of concrete from the

FivePoint is nearing completion of all grading,

former military base aircraft runways at the Great

planting, landscaping, irrigation, fencing, and

Park have been removed, crushed, and recycled for

crossings in and around a 2.5-mile portion of a 6-mile

use as base material for local roads, allowing for raw

wildlife corridor east of Great Park Neighborhoods.

material conservation and reductions in landfill waste.

The corridor, once fully completed, will encourage

1

biodiversity and provide a vital connection point for native species between the Santa Ana Mountains and Laguna coastline.*

3

Great Park trails The 1.5-mile Great Park Trails along Bosque was introduced in 2019, providing a connection between Great Park Neighborhoods and the adjacent Great Park.*

Agua Chinon A formerly degraded, single-use flood control channel called Agua Chinon was also reimagined as an open-space stream corridor with multiple beneficial uses, including ecosystem restoration, habitat mitigation, and flood conveyance. An award-winner for its sustainable engineering, Agua Chinon is also accessible to Great Park Neighborhoods residents as a passive recreation area.*

*Built and funded by Heritage Fields El Toro LLC (a joint venture of FivePoint) on City of Irvine land as part of a public-private partnership with the City of Irvine.

fun fact Great Park Neighborhoods was the recipient of the 2023 Commitment to Sustainability Award from the Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce.