THE NATURALS : Wildflowers, Wildlife, Bountiful Parks Make This an Especially Good Year for Earth Day in Orange County

You already recycle cans and newspapers. You buy unbleached coffee filters, and you never throw used motor oil down the drain.

So what can you do to maintain the spirit of Earth Day this year?

How about a hike through a sycamore forest or a field of yellow wildflowers? A picnic underneath grand old oaks? A stroll alongside a meandering creek? And all this without leaving Orange County.

If nothing else, Earth Day--which was actually Wednesday--offers an excuse to visit some of the county’s prettiest natural wonders this weekend. Ever since the worldwide popularity of the 20th-anniversary Earth Day celebration two years ago, many residents have marked the special day by attending the county’s free, nature-oriented events.

Mother Nature has added a helping hand this year, so Orange County park officials expect the celebrations to be better than ever. Recent rains have left a bounty of wildflowers and wildlife after years of harsh drought.

The biggest Earth Day events will take place at three parks: O’Neill Regional Park in Trabuco Canyon, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday; Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday; and Peralta Canyon Park in Anaheim, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

At the parks, the focus will be on children’s activities, which are designed to raise environmental awareness with some hands-on fun. Also, O’Neill park and Upper Newport Bay have such pleasant hiking trails and nature tours that adults will enjoy the experience as well.

In past years, Caspers Wilderness Park and Earth Day were always synonymous, with the 1991 event there drawing about 1,200 people. But officials recently banned children from the entire park in a controversial decision that came after the county lost a lawsuit filed by the family of a young girl who was mauled by a mountain lion at Caspers several years ago. They could call the park “Caspers the Ghost Town” these days, since children aren’t even allowed in the playground.

But, unwilling to let Earth Day pass uncelebrated, county rangers got together and moved the event to O’Neill park, dubbing it Save a Place for Wildlife day. Although one-quarter the size of Caspers, O’Neill park is a special place, with a canyon-bottom terrain that exhibits much variety, from its grassy slopes to its thick woodlands.

At O’Neill park, rangers leading Earth Day nature tours on Saturday will show off the 2,100-acre park’s lush, stream-side oak and sycamore woodlands along Trabuco Creek Trail. This season’s wildflowers are the best in years, so park officials promise some colorful vistas. Even Trabuco Creek, dry for so long, is running full.

“The wildflowers are out, and it is really pretty there now,” said Tim Miller, operations manager for the county’s division of Harbors, Beaches and Parks.

O’Neill park, dedicated by the Richard O’Neill family in 1948, is the second oldest regional park in Orange County. It started with just 278 acres but has expanded gradually, most recently when the Santa Margarita Co. set aside parkland in exchange for developing nearby Rancho Santa Margarita.

In addition to the nature walks, the Earth Day activities at the park will include Appalachian folk music and a bluegrass band, “eco” games, educational exhibits, a canyon photo exhibit and children’s games. Also available for use are a softball diamond, barbecues, a playground and overnight campgrounds.

The heart of the event at O’Neill will be in its oak-shaded picnic area. Parking is $2, but the event is free.

The Earth Day celebration at Upper Newport Bay, sponsored jointly by county and state officials, is always a main event. One of the last and largest saltwater wetlands left in Orange County, the back bay is home to a variety of wildlife, including endangered birds.

Last year’s Earth Day program at the bay drew 2,000 people. This year, on Sunday, the free bay event will feature music, nature tours, environmental exhibits and canoe and kayak trips. The activities start on Shellmaker Island, a quarter-mile north of Newport Dunes. The entrance is on Back Bay Drive. For more information, call (714) 640-6746.

Also on Sunday, the city of Anaheim will sponsor the Let’s Make a Difference Environmental Awareness Faire at Peralta Canyon Park, featuring crafts, refreshments, hot-air balloon rides, tree planting, an environmental play, musical entertainment and 40 exhibition booths.

Anaheim’s event was the county’s largest Earth Day celebration last year, attracting 4,000 people. The park is near Anaheim Hills, at 115 N. Pinney Drive, off Santa Ana Canyon Road. Admission and parking are free.

The community is also invited on Saturday to help with an Earth Day tree-planting, sponsored by the Irvine Ranch Water District, the city, Irvine ReLeaf and other local groups. People are asked to bring a shovel, if possible, and help plant 140 trees at Irvine High School, at 4321 Walnut Ave. The planting begins at 9 a.m.

Even though Orange County’s other parks and nature preserves don’t have special events, they are perfect places to do a bit of private nature-worshipping for Earth Day. Particularly, the hiking and mountain bike trails at Chino Hills State Park, which is next to Yorba Linda, and at Crystal Cove State Park, between Laguna Beach and Newport Beach, are brimming with spring treasures.

What: Earth Day events at O’Neill Regional Park in Trabuco Canyon, Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve, Newport Beach, and Peralta Canyon Park, Anaheim.

When: At O’Neill: Saturday, April 25, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. At Newport Bay: Sunday, April 26, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. At Peralta Canyon Park: Sunday, April 26, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Whereabouts: To O’Neill: Santa Ana (5) Freeway to El Toro Road north, to Live Oak Canyon Road--then follow the signs to the park. To Newport Bay: The activities start on Shellmaker Island, a quarter-mile north of Newport Dunes. Take the San Diego (405) Freeway to Jamboree Road south. Turn right on Back Bay Drive and follow signs to the Shellmaker Island entrance. To Peralta Canyon: Take the Riverside (91) Freeway to Lakeview Avenue, go south. Turn left on Santa Ana Canyon Road and then left on Pinney Drive.

Wherewithal: Admission to all events is free; there is a $2 parking charge at O’Neill park.

Where to call: O’Neill: (714) 858-9365. Newport Bay: (714) 640-6746. Peralta Canyon: (714) 254-4422.