No matter where you live, it can be important to know your neighbors. They can just be the person you say hello to as you both leave for work in the morning. They can be the person you can ask to help you with a project. And if you are lucky, you’ll have a neighbor who becomes a good friend, somebody you can count on. Somebody to help care for the neighborhood.

For the last 10 years, The Nature Reserve has been lucky to have a neighbor like this in the Community of Rancho Mission Viejo. This year Rancho Mission Viejo celebrates its tenth year as a community. As The Nature Reserve’s closest geographic neighbor, the residents of Rancho Mission Viejo have a big impact on the preservation of the habitat reserve. Since the first Rancho Mission Viejo residents hit Nature Reserve trails in October of 2013, we’ve hiked nearly 3,000 miles together.  Residents of Rancho Mission Viejo have volunteered thousands of hours. Together, we’ve cleared trails and restored native habitats that still thrive today. With the help of Rancho Mission Viejo’s Annual Turkey Trot on The Ranch, we’ve raised over $160,000 to support The Nature Reserve’s School Field Trip Programs. All proceeds from the race go toward connecting students with nature and the outdoors.

In some of the community buildings in Rancho Mission Viejo there are signs that display the “Ranch Code”. A code passed along as words of wisdom to current Rancho Mission Viejo residents by the original Ranch Family. The first two lines of the Ranch Code are 1) Take Care of the Land, and 2) Neighbors Help Neighbors. As a neighbor of Rancho Mission Viejo, The Nature Reserve is glad to have neighbors who help us care for the land.