Julia R., Marcus J. and Vincent M. Lavarnway crowded around Ronald E. Sawyer, docent for the New York State Zoo at Thompson Park, to pet the smooth red-tailed boa constrictor, Feather.

Feather's forked tongue poked out of his mouth.

"Look," said Julia, 7. "He has a blue tongue."

She and her brothers Marcus, 11, and Vincent, 5, visited the zoo during its Fragile Wilderness 2008 event with their grandmother Barbara L. LaVarnway, Lyme. The Lavarnway children took full advantage of the event, making birdhouses, bird feeders and frog-shaped beanbags and climbing on a wall.

Saturday's event was the 15th Fragile Wilderness weekend. Zoo Director John S. Foster said the zoo gained 10 exhibitors this year, bringing the number to nearly 40.

"We want this event to represent the full spectrum of people and organizations who value the outdoors and conservation work," he said.

The range included state parks, Save the River, the state Department of Environmental Conservation, Adirondack Mountain Club and NY Bass Chapter Federation. Home Depot brought almost 300 birdhouse kits and Beaver Camp brought a climbing wall.

Through the activities, the zoo and outdoor organizations hope to engage children and parents in conservation.

"There's an amazing amount of conservation work in the region, so people can have fun outside, lead an amazing life and get involved in conservation efforts," Mr. Foster said.

This was the first time the Cornell University Lab of Ornithology attended the event.

"The reason we're up here today is to get people to tell us about the birds they've seen, submit it and then we'll use it for broad-scale research," said Mary S. Guthrie, director of marketing.

She handed out packets to help families find and write reports about birds. The lab calls this "citizen science."

Linda M. Garrett, executive director of Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust, showed how to make bird feeders out of pine cones, peanut butter and bird seed.

"It's fun and gives the kids a way to bring something home and to learn about birds and nature," she said.

Connor C. Edick, 51/2, covered half of a pine cone in peanut butter and then rolled it in a bowl of birdseed.

His brother, Collin M., 61/2, smeared the peanut butter all over the cone and his apron, too.

"We've never been to this event before," said their mother, Colleen A. Edick, Croghan. "It's been fun."

Collin said he liked making a birdhouse, but Connor especially enjoyed the rock climbing.

"I want to go rock climbing again," he said. "I made it almost all the way to the top."