What is a nature journal?
A nature journal is a place where you can record your observations of the natural world and describe how nature makes you feel.
You can journal on paper or on a tablet or other device.
Your journal can include drawings, leaf etchings, or photographs. You can write short or long notes about what you’ve seen and where you’ve seen it.
Why should I keep a nature journal?
Here are some reasons why keeping a nature journal is good:
- It helps you form a bond with nature
- It helps you become more aware of things around you
- It makes you a better observer
- It is fun!
What should I journal about?
Your journal is a space to record anything that interests you about nature.
You can draw any plants, animals, fungi, or nature scenes that you like. Example ideas include the birds in your backyard, blades of grass, rural landscapes, pebbles at the beach, or birds flying over the city skyline.
You can keep lists of all the birds you’ve seen or the all the different types of trees in your backyard.
You can journal about the changing of the seasons or how the plants in your veggie patch grow over spring and summer.
You can journal about your observations of animal behavior.
Imagine you are journaling about a cool bird you spotted. You could note down:
- where you saw the bird (in your backyard, at the beach, in a pond)
- what the bird was doing (catching insects, flying, swimming, singing)
- if the bird had any interesting physical features (long tail feathers, crest on head, large feet)
- if you have any questions about this bird or its habitat that you’d like to find answers to
How does nature make you feel?
You can write poetry or stories about nature in your journal.
You can use your journal as a space to write about environmental problems you may have encountered.
For example, maybe you’ve noticed plastic pollution in your local stream and this inspires you to organize a community clean-up. Writing or illustrating about environmental challenges can help you think about solutions to these challenges.
Where should I find inspiration for my nature journal?
Anywhere! Nature journaling can be done anywhere – at home, at school or at a local park. You can take your journal on family travels and keep a record of all the interesting things you see.
