Published 03/18/2009
By Audrey Leoncio

Newport Beach in southern California is a destination not only known for presenting visitors with a taste of some of the world’s most enviable luxuries  countless spas, cutting–edge cuisine, luxury accommodations and world–class shopping, but for boasting some of the most beautiful ecological landscapes, wildlife and marine habitat remaining in southern California. Following are ways the city of Newport Beach and its counterparts are helping to sustain the destination’s natural beauty for all to enjoy for years to come.  Included is information on: Green Spaces, Green Meetings, Green Ambassadors, plus Green Practices and Sustainable Building Efforts.

Green Spaces
Quick Facts         

• 25.1 square miles of water
• 14.8 square miles of land
• 9 miles of coastline
• Elevation: 10 ft above seal level

• Newport Harbor — Known as one of the finest, and largest, small yacht harbors in the world, Newport Harbor is surrounded by wind–blown bluffs, sandy beaches, rocky coves and numerous islands. Two jetties stand as sentinels against the encroaching ocean and two main channels join and converge towards the harbor mouth. Inside the channel quiet bay beaches line its shores while surf pounds the oceanfront. Boat slips line much of the shoreline where over 9,000 vessels are docked, ranging in all sizes from small canoes and kayaks to enormous luxury yachts.  Activities: Kayaking (6.7 miles)

• Crystal Cove State Park — 3.2 miles of beach and 2,400 acres of undeveloped woodland comprise Crystal Cove State Park, which stands as Orange County’s coastline last acreage of undeveloped coastline.  The land was formerly owned by The Irvine Company (an Orange County–based real estate developer) who later sold it to the state of California in 1979 to transform it into a state park.  The park is popular for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain bikers.  The offshore waters are designated as an underwater sanctuary where scuba and skin divers are often found. The beach is also popular with swimmers and surfers who can also explore tide pools and sandy coves.  Activities: Hiking (3 miles)

• Crystal Cove Historic District — Located on 12.3 acres of the Crystal Cove State Park is Crystal Cove Historic District, a well–preserved example of vintage Southern California beach living and architecture.
  The District retains the ambiance of a 1930’s beach village featuring 46 distinct cottages. 22 of the 46 cottages have been restored to their original 1930s era condition and were opened to the public for overnight lodging in June 2006.  The cottages are fully furnished with period appropriate furniture. Housekeeping service is limited.  No daily service is provided except for trash removal.  After 4 days, towels will be replaced upon request. 

• El Moro Canyon — Located in the backcountry of Crystal Cove State Park is El Moro Canyon, a popular campsite and area for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.  Trails can be hiked year round with beautiful ocean views, insulated canyons and colorful wildflowers.  It is a 3–mile trek uphill to the campsite location with three different campgrounds and 34 campsites/4 persons per site.  Activities: Hiking (3.58 miles roundtrip)

• Upper Newport Bay — One of only a few remaining estuaries in Southern California, Upper Newport Bay is a tranquil setting where fresh and saltwater meet and mix. Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve represent approximately 1,000 acres of open space. It is the home of nearly 200 species of birds, including several endangered species, as well as numerous varieties of mammals, fish, and native plants. The bay is an important stopover for migrating birds on the Pacific Flyway and up to 30,000 birds can be seen on any day during the winter months.  Six rare endangered species can be found in this habitat including: the Light Footed Clapper Rail, Brown Pelican, Belding’s Savannah Sparrow, Black Rail, Peregrine Falcon and California Least Tern. The bay is also home to one endangered plant species – Saltmarsh Bird’s Beak.  Activities: Kayaking (5.8 miles), Hiking (3.2 mile loop)

• Back Bay Science Center — Located adjacent to the Upper Newport Bay is the 13,000 square foot state–of–the–art Back Bay Science Center, built through a partnership of the California Department of Fish and Game, the City of Newport Beach, the Orange County Health Care Agency, and the University of California Irvine. It looks out over the largest remaining nature estuary in southern California with waterfront access to this important ecological reserve.  The mission of the science center is to provide a hands–on facility where students and the public can study and enjoy the estuarine ecology of Newport Bay and the marine ecology of the ocean, and to promote natural resource conservation and stewardship throughout the watershed.   

• Peter & Mary Muth Interpretive Center is a 10,000 square foot educational facility built into the side of one of the bluffs on the north end of the Upper Newport Bay.  The center provides a focal point for the public’s enjoyment of the Bay. Here young and old alike can take a journey through a series of exhibits and interactive displays that make the Bay come alive. Visitors learn about life in and around an estuary and why Upper Newport Bay is such an important ecological locale.  It is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 AM to 4 PM and is free to the public.  The Muth Interpretive Center offers various programs for schools and families.  To learn more, go to www.newportbay.org.

• Sherman Library & Gardens — This 2.2 acre horticultural retreat is nestled in the neighborhood of Corona Del Mar in Newport Beach. The library and gardens provide a museum of living plants, displayed amidst a setting of immaculate gardens, patios and conservatories linked together by wide brick walkways, beds blooming with seasonal flowers and bubbling tile fountains. The library is a specialized research center devoted to the study of the Pacific Southwest.

Green Meetings

• Balboa Bay Club & Resort has long considered itself to be good stewards of the environment and more recently implemented a “Going Green Program” throughout the resort to focus even more on this effort.  Every month, the resort executive management reviews each department and learns of new ways to help the environment with new sustainable products and methods of recycling, such as: encouraging meeting and conference attendees to use USB port jump–drives versus printing hand–outs or creating binders, increasing the use of email brochures and PDF’s to reduce printing and using bio–degradable materials for gourmet lunch boxes and corn–based utensils.  Additionally, the majority of heating/air conditioning and lighting systems has been computerized to enable automatic shut down when rooms are not in use.

• Fairmont Newport Beach is part of Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, a longtime leader in sustainable tourism and the first major hotel chain in North America to embrace environmental stewardship in its daily operations through the implementation of its own Green Partnership Program. The program focuses on sustainability, mainly improvements in the areas of waste management, energy and water conservation, as well as a strong element of community outreach through local groups and partnerships. These initiatives include recycling and organic waste diversion in the hotel’s kitchens, retrofitting energy efficient lighting, creating rooftop herb gardens at properties, purchasing green power, and redistributing gently used goods and food to those in need. At Fairmont Newport Beach and all Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in California, free “green” parking is offered to overnight guests who drive hybrid vehicles. Additionally, Fairmont Newport Beach participates in the California Coastal Commission Adopt–a–Beach Program and Adopt–A–Shelter Program. This property also supports Fairmont’s relationship with the Make A Wish Foundation.

• Hyatt Regency Newport Beach — Hyatt Hotels & Resorts appointed a new vice president of environmental affairs in January 2008 who assists with the development of a corporate environmental policy that addresses Hyatt’s commitment to minimizing the impact that its hotels have on the environment. The policy focuses on awareness and education to promote and reinforce a culture of environmental consciousness through all facets of Hyatt’s global operations.  

• Hornblower Cruises & Adventures at Sea in Newport Beach aims to reduce their carbon footprint and stimulating others to do the same with their “Green Awareness” program which focuses on:  Improvement of resource utilization through reducing, reusing and recycling; adaptation of more eco–friendly cruise operations through smart choices and effective awareness; and the creation of new opportunities to outreach and encourage others to adapt a sustainable culture.  In May 2008, Hornblower created the industries first carbon offsetting option for all private and public cruise events.  Additionally, urinals on board fleets are beginning to be replaced with water free urinals.  As of February 2009, Hornblower will begin new operation methods that will reduce overall emissions by at least 30% port–wide.

• The Resort at Pelican Hill is so close to the marine habitat of Crystal Cove State Park that The Irvine Company took unprecedented steps to create an elaborate water quality system based on conservation and recycling, to see that this area is protected from any harmful pollutants.  The first step was enlisting the help of Sat Tamaribuchi, Vice President of Environmental Affairs for the resort’s developer to lead the effort.  The luxury resort, set among 504 acres on the hillsides overlooking Crystal Cove State Park and the Pacific Ocean, was faced with the challenge of finding a way to capture the runoff from reaching the ocean.  Pelican Hill developed its own computerized irrigation system, which many environmental experts and activists say is the most advanced water quality management program on the California coast.  The most high–tech feature is the irrigation controller called WeatherTrax that can virtually eliminate runoff from over–watering, using a link–up to weather satellite data.  The golf courses also have their own on–site weather stations that measure rainfall, temperature, humidity and evaporation rates that transfer the information to the computerized irrigation system as well as seven full–time irrigators who check the soil by hand with probes to determine which areas need water.  Two man–made lakes were created between the 15th and 17th holes of Pelican Ocean North course and 3,000 ft away at the South course to irrigate the golf courses with water purchased from the Irvine Water District.

Green Ambassadors

• Crystal Cove Alliance, the Cooperating Association benefiting the Crystal Cove State Park Historic District and founded in 1999, is a non–profit organization dedicated to the protection and preservation of the Crystal Cove State Park Historic District, its beach and the marine life refuge. The primary purpose of the Alliance is to promote educational and interpretive activities of the California State Parks System and to assist with the preservation and restoration of the Crystal Cove State Park Historic District. www.crystalcovealliance.org 

• Newport Bay Naturalists & Friends is a volunteer organization whose mission is to restore and preserve the native habitat of the Upper Newport Bay, educate the public about the ecological value of the Bay and achieve good water quality, healthy native flora and fauna, and compatible public use of a protected ecosystem in a dense urban environment.  www.newportbay.org

• Orange County Coastkeeper is a nonprofit organization founded in 1999 to identify pollution issues affecting water quality in local rivers, bays and coastal regions and to remedy them through education, advocacy, restoration and enforcement.  Its long–term goal is to protect and preserve all of Orange County’s water bodies and restore them to healthy, fully functioning systems that will protect recreational uses and aquatic life. Coastkeeper balances education, advocacy, research and enforcement to increase awareness of environmental issues and reduce pollution of Orange County’s watersheds and coastal waters. www.coastkeeper.org

• Surfrider Foundation: Newport Beach Chapter is a non–profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches. The Newport Beach Chapter of Surfrider was founded in 1990 with a focus on water quality education and activism. “Teach and Test,” a water testing program for local high schools, is the foundation of the educational effort. In addition, the chapter is part of the Partnership for Clean Water, contributing water quality videos for all fifth grade classes in the Newport–Mesa School District as well as making numerous presentations to school and community groups throughout the year. Activism is promoted through its “50 in 5” program with the goal of reducing pollutants in the Santa Ana River as well as conducting beach cleanups throughout the year. http://surfridernb.com

Green Practices & Sustainable Building Efforts

• City of Newport Beach officially banned the use of Styrofoam cups at all Newport Beach restaurants to help keep beaches clean.


• The City of Newport Beach is a sponsor of Orange County Coastkeeper, an organization whose mission is to protect and preserve Orange County’s marine habitats and watersheds through education, advocacy, restoration, and enforcement.

• The City Newport Beach offers several Water Use Efficiency Programs for residential and commercial appliances and devices.  The website Watersmartnewport.org is an on–line resource that provides tips, events and educational resources for how residents and commercial businesses can utilize ways of conserving water. 

• July is “Smart Irrigation Month” proclaimed by the Newport Beach City Council to help raise awareness of the need to conserve California’s water resources. 

• The City of Newport Beach will host its first ever Watermiser Workshop on March 5, 2009 to educate the public on water conservation.  The event held at the Newport Beach Public Library will shed light on the conservation efforts underway in the city of Newport Beach, demonstrate good versus bad irrigation design and functionality, and will educate on the varieties of native and California friendly plants that are available and how others can maintain a beautiful low water use garden.  For more info, please call (949) 644–3214

• Upper Newport Back Bay hosts hands–on restoration activities and programs for the public to get involved with the restoration of Newport Beach’s natural resources.  Roots Days occur one Saturday per month where a large group of volunteers ban together to remove invasive plants, install native plans and learn about the history of the Upper Newport Bay. 

• “Beach Clean–Up Days” and “Adopt–a–Beach” programs are hosted throughout the year by the California Coastal Commission to collect trash and recyclables from all beaches, lakes and waterways throughout California. 

• Newport Beach’s Environmental Nature Center is a LEED platinum certified learning facility  the first in Orange County.  The 9,000 square foot facility provides hands on education with nature and demonstrates indigenous California vegetation and habitats.  The building integrates sustainability in every way: solar panels, bicycle storage, drought tolerant, indigenous landscape, waterless urinals and low–flow faucets and efficient storm water management and daylight harvesting.  School programs and group tours and lectures of the facility and nature center are offered throughout the year.  www.encenter.org

For more information on Newport Beach and its sustainable practices, please visit www.visitnewportbeach.com

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