Notes about your surroundings

Park March--A fund-raising hike to buy parkland will be Saturday morning, March 30, at Laguna Coast Wilderness Park.

The two-hour interpretive walk will be moderately difficult and cover various habitats in the 15,000-acre coastal wilderness park, including coastal sage scrub and oak woodlands. The walk will also include Little Sycamore Canyon, which is part of the park not usually open to the public.

The “March for Parks” program is intended to acquaint the public with Orange County’s restored and preserved lands. The county’s parks and wilderness areas offer a variety of hiking, biking and equestrian trails. For a tax-deductible $20 donation, each participant receives the walking tour, parking, bus transportation, park brochures and a “Keep It Wild” T-shirt.

Participants should wear proper walking gear and bring water, snacks and sunscreen. Binoculars are also recommended.

For reservations or more information, call (714) 855-7275. Space is limited.

Calling Birders--Interested in joining the National Audubon Society? All it costs is $20 a year.

Orange County has two Audubon chapters, South Coast Audubon and Sea & Sage. Both offer year-round field trips to Southern California’s wilderness areas. Members also receive Audubon magazine.

For more information, contact:

* South Coast Audubon, Membership Chair, P.O. Box 4059, San Clemente, CA 92674-4059 or call (714) 498-4407.

* Sea & Sage Audubon, P.O. Box 25, Santa Ana, CA 92702. Or telephone the chapter office at (714) 261-7963.

Donations Needed--Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve and Regional Park needs a helping hand, and a desk and wood. Budget constraints due to Orange County’s bankruptcy have placed the reserve in the position of relying on donations. The reserve will accept both cash and in-kind contributions to make ends meet.

The preserve needs computer monitors, backpacks, poster board, a portable public address system, slide carousels, plexiglass and a camcorder. Also needed are paint, lumber and volunteers to repair information kiosks.

Upper Newport Bay is home to many native and migrating species, including black-necked stilts, whimbrels and white pelicans. Habitat found in the reserve includes coastal sage scrub, cattails and lemonadeberry.

The reserve also offers a broad range of programs such as guided tours, kayaking and fly fishing. A hiking and biking trail is along the bluffs that overlook the bay.

To arrange the pickup of a donation, or for more information on programs, please call the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve office at (714) 640-6746.