Notes about your surroundings.

Sycamore Hills Open House--Sycamore Hills, a nature preserve along Laguna Canyon Road between El Toro Road and Laguna Lakes, will be the site of an open house and picnic on Saturday. Sponsored by the UC Irvine student activities department and Laguna Greenbelt, an environmental group, the event will include free canoe rides and hikes along the preserve’s nature trail.

The open house begins at 10 a.m. and continues till 4 p.m. Bring your own lunch if you would like to picnic at the park. Call (714) 856-5181 for more information.

Upper Bay Animals--The California Department of Fish and Game is sponsoring an animal tracking seminar at Upper Newport Bay on Saturday. The seminar will include basic tracking techniques, the life history and behavior of the animals that inhabit the upland area of the bay.

The seminar begins at 8:30 a.m. and will last about three hours. Participants are asked to meet at Shellmaker Island, about 1/4-mile northeast of the Back Bay Drive/Jamboree Road intersection. For more information and reservations, call (714) 640-6746.

Oak Canyon Events--The Oak Canyon Nature Center, in its continuing effort to promote nature exploration among children, is hosting three workshops and classes this week.

A parent/child workshop focusing on the spring season at the center will be held today. There will be a guided hike to see the spring flowers as well as live animal demonstrations and crafts.

Weekday nature classes for children on spring break will begin Monday and continue through Friday. The focus of the classes will be on the North and South poles. Open to children ages 6 to 10, the activities will include hands-on projects and games.

Saturday will be Insect Day at the center. The Saturday morning program will include a nature walk through the center to look for the insects discussed.

The center is at 6700 Walnut Canyon Road, Anaheim. Call (714) 998-8380 for more information about any of the events.