ENVIRONMENT / Notes about your surroundings

End of the Trail--The Friends of Newport Bay will wrap up its season of free nature tours of the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve on Saturday. The great variety of wildlife and plants in the area can be viewed during the two-hour walks, which depart every 10 or 15 minutes from 9 to 10:15 a.m. from Eastbluff and Backbay drives. Comfortable shoes, a hat, binoculars and a bird book are recommended. Tours resume in October, on the second Saturday of the month. Information: Dick Kust, (949) 786-8878.

Dinner Date--Kenn Kaufman, ornithologist and author, will be the guest speaker at Sea & Sage Audubon’s annual conservation awards dinner March 19. The event begins at 6 p.m. at the Sheraton Hotel Newport Beach. Cost is $31.25-$34.25. (949) 261-7963.

Range Finder--A slide show on “Hiking the Himalayas” and other mountains will be given at the meeting Monday of the Orange County Sierra Singles. It begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Costa Mesa Community Center, 1845 Park Ave. Potluck dinner is $2-7; $2 for the program only. (714) 505-2404.

Clean Fun--Learn how to enjoy the great outdoors without damaging natural habitats at a free lecture presented Tuesday by the Orange County Natural History Assn. It begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Sea Country Community Center, 24602 Aliso Creek Road, Laguna Niguel. Information: (949) 831-3287.

Go With the Flow--Water conservation and future water supply will be among the topics covered during free water awareness tours offered to customers by the Irvine Ranch Water District this spring. Visitors will see the Michelson Water Reclamation Plant, the water quality laboratory and part of the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary. Tour dates are April 23 and 24 and May 14, 15 and 22, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Participants must be at least 16 years old. Information: (949) 453-5500.

* Send items for consideration to Vicky Clepper, The Times Orange County, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626. Fax: (714) 966-4562.