| While lumbering herds of elephants and | | | | learning, try writing at least one question |
| stalking Bengal tigers capture the | | | | about each object. |
| imagination of most animal lovers, we often | | | | |
| neglect the nature closest to us. Sometimes | | | | Now stand up and draw what comes into view at |
| we need a reminder that we are part of a | | | | eye level. Label the object and describe what |
| habitat, and that the miracle of life exists | | | | it's doing, or what it is part of. |
| under our very noses. Educator and naturalist | | | | |
| Carolyn Duckworth has said, "If you want to | | | | Look up from where you are standing. Record |
| understand and become connected to your | | | | what you see above, and how it makes you |
| environment, keeping a field journal is one | | | | feel. |
| of the fastest ways to accomplish this goal." | | | | |
| | | | Nature journals are not just for artists. |
| Studies have found that children today | | | | Don't worry if your renderings look like |
| consider nature to be somewhere else-on TV, | | | | scribbles. The point is that you are |
| videos, in the National Geographic only. But | | | | connecting to your environment. |
| in reality, a genuine connection to wildlife | | | | |
| around the globe is only an extension of a | | | | Some questions you may use to direct your |
| connection to the earth right where you | | | | journaling, and deepen your connection to the |
| stand. Good naturalists don't gain their | | | | life around you are: |
| knowledge from formal schooling, they get it | | | | |
| in the field, by direct observation. And this | | | | What are the trees in my neighborhood? When |
| observation can start right in your backyard | | | | do they bloom? What do their fruits and seeds |
| or at the park down the street. | | | | look like? What insects use the trees? When |
| | | | do they shed their leaves? How do their seeds |
| This article will offer pointers for keeping | | | | get to new sites to grow? |
| a nature journal. It draws heavily on the | | | | |
| program laid out in the book Keeping a Nature | | | | What birds live in my neighborhood? What is |
| Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing | | | | their activity at various times of the day? |
| the World Around You by Clare Walker Leslie | | | | How do different species of birds interact |
| and Charles E. Roth. | | | | with each other? |
| | | | |
| The tools needed to start nature journaling | | | | What kinds of insects gather around the light |
| are simple and inexpensive. One needs a | | | | at my doorway each night throughout the year? |
| notebook and something to write with. | | | | |
| Experimentation will reveal your personal | | | | When and where do mushroom species appear in |
| preferences for lined or clear paper, binding | | | | my neighborhood? |
| type, size, and lead or ink. As you gain | | | | |
| experience you may add a small set of | | | | Using questions like these you may find |
| watercolor paints or colored pencils. If you | | | | yourself discovering both the landscape you |
| use pencils you may need a sharpener, or you | | | | live on, and the landscape that lives in you. |
| can use mechanical pencils, which yield more | | | | Those who keep a journal know that journaling |
| technical-looking drawings. You may also use | | | | is a form of journeying, and a well-kept |
| a collecting bag for objects that you want to | | | | journal can become a treasured record of |
| draw and study indoors. (Although you should | | | | where we have been, what we have seen, and |
| collect only fallen objects, where permission | | | | what we have felt as we've interacted with |
| is given). | | | | the world. |
| | | | |
| There are no hard and fast rules for nature | | | | You don't have to visit the glaciers of |
| journaling, although entering observations | | | | Alaska, or India's jungles, or the savannahs |
| using a heading is good practice. For your | | | | in Africa to connect to Mother Earth, |
| heading you may include your name, the date | | | | although who of us wouldn't jump at the |
| and time (it doesn't have to be an accurate | | | | chance? Start by putting roots down right |
| clock time), the place, weather conditions, | | | | where you stand. |
| your first impressions, wind direction (use a | | | | |
| compass for this), and cloud patterns and | | | | "It seems only natural that we should value |
| cloud cover. | | | | most what we are in contact with |
| | | | everyday...yet the reverse is often true. We |
| To get started you may find this sequence of | | | | appear to place a higher value on rare |
| observations helpful, as it gets you in the | | | | animals and plants and spectacular views and |
| habit of observing all around you: | | | | far-flung places. Of course both are |
| | | | important because they fulfill different |
| Start by looking at the ground. Get a close | | | | needs. But the every day places desperately |
| up view of individual objects. Try to draw | | | | need our attention-partly because they are |
| one or more in your journal, labeling each | | | | changing so fast, and not always for the |
| item. Take no more than five minutes per | | | | better, and also because tremendous benefit |
| object, and give size measurements (you don't | | | | is to be gained from a personal involvement |
| need a ruler, just estimate.) For further | | | | with your own locality. |