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Podcasts Take Two
Orange County's canyon lands: a rural oasis amid suburban sprawl
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Oct 22, 2013
Listen • 4:02
Orange County's canyon lands: a rural oasis amid suburban sprawl
One of the last open spaces in Orange County is under development pressure. Residents of the county's "canyon lands" have banded together to preserve the rural character of the area.
Left: Developers have shown interest in building housing tracts in areas of Cleveland National Forest. Right: A housing development in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Left: Developers have shown interest in building housing tracts in areas of Cleveland National Forest. Right: A housing development in Rancho Santa Margarita.
(
Maya Sugarman/KPCC
)
Left: Developers have shown interest in building housing tracts in areas of Cleveland National Forest. Right: A housing development in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Left: Developers have shown interest in building housing tracts in areas of Cleveland National Forest. Right: A housing development in Rancho Santa Margarita.
(
Maya Sugarman/KPCC
)
Left: A cluster of newly built homes in Corona sit along Cleveland National Forest, where developers have shown interest in building housing tracts. Right: Open space in Cleveland National Forest.
Left: A cluster of newly built homes in Corona sit along Cleveland National Forest, where developers have shown interest in building housing tracts. Right: Open space in Cleveland National Forest.
(
Maya Sugarman/KPCC
)
Left: Cacti in Cleveland National Forest, where developers have shown interest in building housing tracts. Right: Halloween decorations in a housing development in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Left: Cacti in Cleveland National Forest, where developers have shown interest in building housing tracts. Right: Halloween decorations in a housing development in Rancho Santa Margarita.
(
Maya Sugarman/KPCC
)
Left: A housing development in Rancho Santa Margarita. Right: Developers have shown interest in building housing tracts in areas of Cleveland National Forest.
Left: A housing development in Rancho Santa Margarita. Right: Developers have shown interest in building housing tracts in areas of Cleveland National Forest.
(
Maya Sugarman/KPCC
)
Left: A housing development in Rancho Santa Margarita. Right: Developers have shown interest in building housing tracts in areas of Cleveland National Forest.
Left: A housing development in Rancho Santa Margarita. Right: Developers have shown interest in building housing tracts in areas of Cleveland National Forest.
(
Maya Sugarman/KPCC
)
Left: Developers have shown interest in building housing tracts in areas of Cleveland National Forest. Right: A newspaper sits on a driveway in a housing development in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Left: Developers have shown interest in building housing tracts in areas of Cleveland National Forest. Right: A newspaper sits on a driveway in a housing development in Rancho Santa Margarita.
(
Maya Sugarman/KPCC
)

One of the last open spaces in Orange County is under development pressure. Residents of the county's "canyon lands" have banded together to preserve the rural character of the area.

Orange County has more than 3,000 people per square mile, making it one of the most densely populated areas in the country. Amid the suburban sprawl, there are still thousands of acres of open space known as "the canyons."

KPCC's Ed Joyce says, despite apparent protections, the scenic region is under threat of development.