Learning All About the Great Outdoors

This weekend’s schedule includes three activities that let you enjoy the great outdoors and learn something about it at the same time. Sunday at 11 a.m. at TreePeople headquarters at Coldwater Canyon Park, volunteers will lead walks around the park, pointing out the gardens, chickens, beehives and nurseries. TreePeople is a private, environmental education group that encourages the planting of trees and promotes understanding of the importance of trees to counteract the effects of smog. The walk is stroller accessible. Coldwater Canyon Park is at the intersection of Coldwater Canyon Boulevard and Mulholland Drive. Call (818) 769-2663.

At today’s Environmental Education Fair at the Los Angeles State and County Arboretum, more than 60 exhibitors will present mainly hands-on displays designed to encourage both students and teachers to become more curious about nature and conservation. The L.A. Fire Department’s Forestry Division will have a two-man logging saw for kids to try and the Cabrillo Marine Museum will bring its miniature tide pool. Booths have been set up in the exhibition hall and a special tent nearby. In addition, there will be games with a nature twist and docent-led nature walks at 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m. The fair is free with Arboretum admission ($1.50 for adults, 75 cents for children). The hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (818) 446-8251).

Farther south, at the Arbor Day celebration at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, plant societies will man booths and talk to visitors about the importance of plants in the environment. Children can make fossil imprints of leaves and a short film on trees will be shown throughout the day. The exhibition is open today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The park is located at 18712 University Drive, and admission is free. Call (714) 634-7972.

CLASSES

Shamrock Growing--This weekend’s drop-in workshop at Kidspace Museum has a St. Patrick’s Day theme. Workshop leaders will talk a little bit about the shamrock as a symbol before showing kids how to plant shamrock seeds in foam plastic containers and instructing them on how to grow the seeds. The museum is located at 390 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena, and workshops will be held today and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Children should sign up as they enter the museum. Workshops are free with admission ($2.25). Call (818) 449-9144.

UPCOMING

Workshop for Children of Divorce--Kids, ages 13 to 17, will have a chance to talk about the problems of divorce from their perspective at the March 22 workshop, “Raising Your Parents” at the University of Judaism. Led by Joseph Feinstein, who hosts KHJ’s Teen Talk, the two-hour workshop is open to all teens, regardless of religion. Topics will include coping with your parents’ divorce, attending to yourself and letting go. During the second half of the program, teens will break into small discussion groups. “Parent care” is available for those whose parents have driven them to the workshop and have two hours to kill: A therapist will be on hand for a seminar for parents. The university is located at 15600 Mulholland Drive, Bel-Air. The cost is $5 (parent care is free). Call (213) 476-9777 for reservations.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Puppet Show--”Superfrog and the Robots of Blortch” is a hand-and-rod puppet show performed today and Sunday at the Torrance Community Theater (152 Cravens Ave., Torrance, (213) 532-1741). The half-hour performance features Froggie and alien creatures created out of bleach and water bottles. After the performance, puppeteer Ric Morton will explain how the show is put on and how kids can make their own aliens at home. Tickets are $3, reservations suggested. Performances begin at 10:30 a.m.