Landscaper, Vintner and Botanical Enthusiast, Richard Moriarty has created a wonderland of rare and unique plants and exotic
Landscaper, Vintner and Botanical Enthusiast, Richard Moriarty has created a wonderland of rare and unique plants and exotic
Moriarty Botanical Gardens: Replacing What We Stand to Lose
Moriarty Botanical Gardens is envisioned as a public & private garden with a conservatory and event space, dedicated to restoring habitat for owls, raptors, eagles, and ospreys while preserving and expanding the tree canopy and supporting local college horticultural programs.
The Gardens emerged in June 2023 in response to County Supervisor Katrina Foley’s proposed $30 million ($3 million per acre) New Delhi Channel habitat restoration project. A portion of this proposal affects 10 acres of surrounding land and includes five acres of saltwater marsh and five acres of freshwater marsh. While presented as environmental restoration, riparian marsh habitats support uncontrolled mosquito populations, creating public health concerns and threatening the viability of the adjacent vineyard and surrounding land uses.
Additionally, Supervisor Foley is allocating taxpayer funds to prepare a new Environmental Impact Report, as prior environmental reports dating back to 1998 do not reflect the expanded mosquito species that have invaded Southern California.
Importantly, the habitat loss cited above is already being offset by the Back Bay Conservancy’s 14-acre Big Canyon project, constructed at $6.5 million (approximately $450,000 per acre).
Another proposed city development, following the expiration of the Newport Beach Golf Course lease in 2027, is the Surf/Wave Park proposal. The anticipated habitat loss from this project is approximately 15 acres of mature trees, which would be replaced with human-made water features.
Additionally, in the neighboring community, there is a previously approved state housing mandate that includes 749 workforce housing units, along with a two-acre park that could be incorporated into the Garden plans.
Together, the proposed surf park and additional workforce housing in Santa Ana Heights could eliminate more than 30 acres of mature trees and bird habitat that will not be replaced with the Coastal Commission mandate of sage, scrub bushes and tumbleweeds.
At Moriarty Botanical Gardens, we prioritize cultivating beauty and creating mystical spaces while preserving landscaping through charity.
Open today | 11:00 am – 04:00 pm |
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Moriarty Botanical Gardens
2128 Mesa Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660, USA
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