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AT THE ARBORETUM

Bicycle tour -- An easy, slow ride lasting about an hour and covering less than five miles, showcasing recent arboretum improvements. 11 a.m. April 26, Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center. Free parking in Lot 1 and the south entry garage (south of the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts).

Folk Music Jam -- Play or listen. Noon May 2, 16 and 30. Wyatt Deck, adjacent to the redwood grove. Parking $6 in Lot 5, Old Davis Road and A Street.

Tour -- Bring the Mediterranean Into Your Backyard. 11 a.m. May 3, Arboretum Terrace Garden, Davis Commons shopping center, First and A streets. Free parking behind the shopping center.

Celia M. Hastings Art-Science Education Day -- Birds of Song and Clay. People of all ages are invited to listen to MudLark, a local folk trio performing music “exploring our relationship to nature and the environment.” Then, “roll up your shirt sleeves and create native birds of California from clay”—with the birds to be included in a ceramic mural of the state of California, for display in the Washington, D.C., office of U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, whose district includes Yolo County. 1-3 p.m. May 4, Wyatt Deck, adjacent to the redwood grove, Old Davis Road. Free parking; the best option is Lot 5, Old Davis Road and A Street.

Writers in the Garden -- Karen Joy Fowler, the novelist and short story writer from Davis. is scheduled to read from her work and talk about the importance of the natural world in her writing. She is the author of Sarah Canary and The Jane Austen Book Club. 7 p.m. May 6, Wyatt Deck, adjacent to the redwood grove, Old Davis Road; people are invited to come early with picnic dinners. Parking $6 in Lot 5, Old Davis Road and A Street.

Tour -- Choosing Spring Plants for Your Valley-Wise Garden. 2 p.m. May 11, gazebo, Garrod Drive. Free parking along Garrod Drive and in Lot 55.

Walk with Warren -- With Warren Roberts, arboretum superintendent. Noon May 14, Mrak Hall south entrance. Parking $6 in Lots 1 and 2 and the south entry garage.

Tour -- Herbs and Herbivores. 11 a.m. May 17, gazebo, Garrod Drive. Free parking along Garrod Drive and in Lot 55.

Moonlight Music at the White Flower Garden -- 8 p.m. May 17, gazebo, Garrod Drive. Concert under the full moon, with composer Luciano Chessa on the electrified Vietnamese dan bau, Keith Cary on aluminum string bass, two-string Stroh viol, tin can fiddle and other homemade instruments, and Erin Espeland on cello and tin can fiddles. Free parking along Garrod Drive and in Lot 55.

Aquatic Life in the Arboretum -- 1-3 p.m. May 18, Wyatt Deck, adjacent to the redwood grove, Old Davis Road. Part of the Arboretum Adventures series of nature programs for all ages. Organizers said animal science graduate student Brittany Kammerer and students from the Sacramento-Davis chapter of the American Fisheries Society will lead hands-on activities, including fish printing and fish identification.

Writers in the Garden -- Matt Biers-Ariel of Davis, author of books on Judaism and the environment, including The Seven Species, Solomon and the Trees, Spirit in Nature, and The Triumph of Eve and Other Subversive Bible Tales. 7 p.m. May 20, Wyatt Deck, adjacent to the redwood grove, Old Davis Road; people are invited to come early with picnic dinners. Parking $6 in Lot 5, Old Davis Road and A Street.

Tour -- Use a Mediterranean Garden Model for Your Garden. 11 a.m. May 24, Arboretum Terrace Garden, Davis Commons shopping center, First and A streets. Free parking behind the shopping center.

Tour -- Get Ready for Your Roses. 11 a.m. May 31, gazebo, Garrod Drive. Free parking along Garrod Drive and in Lot 55.

All events are free and open to the public. More information: (530) 752-4880 or .

AT STEBBINS COLD CANYON

NATURE OUTINGS

Stylish Snakes and Nifty Newts: Reptiles and Amphibians -- 9 a.m. April 27.

A Day in Paradise -- 10 a.m. May 3, along Putah Creek on Tom and Ginny Cahill's land northeast of Stebbins Cold Canyon, with four-wheel-drive vehicles available for shuttles to and from the lunch spot, for people with limited mobility or other special needs. The hike, for people who walk it, is one mile. Questions regarding your special needs and access? E-mail Jeff Falyn, coordinator of the Nature Outings Program, at jfalyn@ucdavis.edu.

Watercolors and The Outdoors -- 8:30 a.m. May 4 (at Bobcat Ranch, northeast of Stebbins Cold Canyon; meet at Steady Eddy's in Winters). Leisurely walk to a quiet spot, where color, shadow, and sweeping scenery will be the backdrop for painting. No experience necessary, just a willingness to experiment with paints and openness to the surrounding beauty. For all skill levels. Materials provided.

Native Plants and Wildflowers: From the Trail to the Garden -- 9 a.m. May 17.

Full Moon Hike and Storytelling -- 7:30 p.m. May 17.

Preserve the Reserve: Promoting Native Vegetation -- 9 a.m.-noon May 18. Workday to help restore the natural communities of the reserve. On this particular Preserve the Reserve day, volunteers will be asked to remove invasive weeds like Italian and yellow starthistle.

Kayak and Explore -- 9 a.m. June 7 at Lake Solano Park. Falyn reported April 23 that this adventure "is full with a very long wait list."

Overnight at a Reserve -- June 14-15 at Sagehen Creek Field Station, part of the UC Natural Reserve System. The Sagehen Creek Field Station, near Truckee in the Sierra Nevada, is described as "a spectacular area of high-altitude wetlands and forests." The program includes an introduction to the reserve, a natural history presentation, a discussion of healthy forests, and hiking. Participants are responsible for all travel and food. Sleeping accommodations (for Saturday only) have been made at the reserve for a $10-$20 fee. E-mail Falyn at jfalyn@ucdavis.edu with questions. Falyn reported April 23 that a few spots remained for this adventure.

Loop Trail: Summer Solstice at Sunrise -- 5:30 a.m. June 21. Hike the Loop Trail as the sun climbs into the sky after the shortest night of the year. Five miles of ups and downs with a 1,200-foot elevation gain. Many steps are interspersed with breathtaking views. Bring sturdy shoes, at least a liter of water, sunscreen and a snack. Falyn reported April 23 that a few spots remained for this adventure.

NATURE'S THEATER

How the Flowers Got Their Colors -- 9 a.m. May 4 (for ages 4-8)

Mother Nature and the Toddlers -- 9 a.m. May 18 (for ages 1-4)

The Spirit of Water -- 9 a.m. June 8 (for ages 6-10)

All activities are free and open to the public. Activities fill up fast; reservations are required. E-mail Jeff Falyn, jfalyn@ucdavis.edu, with your name, address, event date, and phone number and-or e-mail address, and indicate whether you need directions. More information and the complete activity schedule for spring and summer: .