Nature Journaling

Creating a nature journal is a fun activity providing you with opportunities to observe and record what is happening in the natural world around you.  You can pick any subject – a broad look at all of the plants and animals you see on a prairie walk, or a more focused look at the activities of a single bee on a rose blossom.  You can record observations in any habitat, inside or outside, at any time of the year, and in any type of weather.

The tools to begin with are simple.  A notebook to record your observations.  Many journalers prefer unlined, blank pages allowing you to use any portion of the page.  A writing instrument, whether pen pr pencil, or keyboard if your notebook is electronic.  Time to observe, make a sketch, write out notes, and enjoy the process.  More tools can be added as you go along including color pencils/pens/paints, a hand lens, a ruler, binoculars, field guides, a camera, and an array of other tools you will discover.

There are as many techniques as there are tools.  A few of the more popular styles are highlighted in the following examples.  One method is contained in A Trail Through Leaves by Hannah Hinchman. Her journal is filled with simple sketches, many with a brief description.  She has added watercolors to some of her sketches and references to familiar objects to enhance the descriptions.

Many journalers record the natural changes around their own homes throughout the year.  Nature On The Doorstep, by Angela E. Douglas, is a series of letters.  The author has just moved to New England from Great Britain and makes wonderful comparisons and contrasts of the natural world between the two locales.  The Wild Remedy, by Emma Mitchell, is a monthly diary with hand-drawn illustrations and photographs.  Letters From Eden, by Julie Zickefoose, is illustrated with hand sketches and watercolors.  The Country Diary Of An Edwardian Lady, by Edith Holden, is a reproduction of her original journal that she wrote in 1906 and contains many watercolor paintings.  She also includes a list of species important to her writings in the final pages.

Some journalers use electronic media to record and share their observations.  Posting a photo essay on Twitter or writing a blog that could be kept as private or shared with subscribers or the public are two common methods.  Two examples that I recommend are Tuesdays In The Tallgrass by Cindy Crosby, and A Botanist’s Field Notes by Andrew Hipp.

Many books have been written about the art and science of nature journaling, with suggestions on methods including prose, poetry, scientific notation and illustration, watercolors, sketching, pen & pencil drawings, and coloring with pencils or markers.  These books provide good information for starting a journaling project and stimulating your creativity with further ideas.  Practice observing and recording details using one or more of these techniques will help you become a better naturalist and journaler.  A few of my favorite reference books include:

• Keeping A Nature Journal by Clare Walker Leslie
• How To Keep A Naturalist’s Notebook by Susan Leigh Tomlinson
• The Laws Guide To Nature Drawing and Journaling by John Muir Laws

A nature journal can be private or shared with others.  If you are in the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum area, consider joining our group, the Nature Doodlers, to share your ideas.  Many such groups exist, and directories such as one on the John Muir Laws website (https://johnmuirlaws.com/nature-journal-club/ ) may help you to find one in your area.

Please visit our new page Discover Nature Journaling for more ideas, as well as a quick start guide that you can print and take with you in the field.