Whether you are new to nature journaling or an experienced journaler, this is going to be a week of fun and inspiration!

Take some time to explore this website. It is the place to come for new ideas and ways to connect with nature, ourselves and our community. You will find blog posts from journalers around the world, sharing their knowledge and ideas with you. The Books and Inspiration page will guide you towards resources and websites on all things nature journaling. Be sure to sign-up to the newsletter to receive news and updates and a daily dose of inspiration during International Nature Journaling Week. On the page entitled How to Participate, you will find a step-by-step guide for how to get involved.

On the Program page you will find a schedule for the week, including resources, links, journaling prompts and more! This page will be your starting point for each day, where you can gather inspiration and begin your own journaling. You can also find the dates and the themes for the week below:

1st June - Germination and emergence

2nd June - Growth and development

3rd June - Metamorphosis and transformation

4th June - reproduction

5th June - Blooming and fruiting

6th June - decay and decomposition

7th June - Renewal and regeneration

For those folks who are new to all this, let’s first start at the beginning. Continue reading below to find out more on the “What, Why and How of Nature Journaling”.

What, Why and How of Nature Journaling

What is nature journaling?

Nature journaling is recording your interactions with nature on paper. It can take many different forms and the journal pages of each person will be unique. You can use sketches, paintings, poetry, prose, species lists, numbers, graphs, cartoons and more. There are no rules. Connecting with nature is what is important, not creating a work of art.

Why do we keep a nature journal? 

The more we pay attention to something, the closer to it we become. When we spend an afternoon observing the movements of a pet ghost mantis, watching a caterpillar on a grass stem or ducks gliding across a pond, these creatures truly become our friends. When we allow nature to sink deeply into our hearts it can profoundly change the way we feel and interact with the world. Nature connection brings inner connection and peace. What better way to live life?

Did you know that when you study, observe and record the natural systems around you, you become a naturalist? In keeping a nature journal you stand alongside historical figures such as Alfred Russel Wallace, John James Audubon and Henry David Thoreau, among many others, who all kept field journals as a way of recording their important natural history observations and discoveries. Your nature journal pages are no less important. By documenting your observations you are keeping a record of nature in this place and time, building local knowledge that can be looked back upon as our natural systems change over time. Your nature observations can be used to participate in citizen science projects to further the scientific knowledge and understanding of our natural world, helping to preserve our precious wild places.

Nature journaling is educational, not just for children, but for lifelong adult learners as well. It brings together elements of science, language, maths, geography, physical education and cultural studies. The process of nature journaling will open and expand your curiosity help you look at the world in new ways.

This is an activity that can be done at any age and also shared with the whole family. Children can nature journal as soon as they are old enough to hold a paintbrush. Sitting with your children and observing nature together will increase family bonds and instil a love of nature that will encourage children to grow into future stewards of our environment.

Also, it’s just so much fun!

How to start a Nature Journal?

To begin a nature journal you don’t need any fancy materials, just something to write with and something to write on. A pencil and paper are the simplest journaling tools. Once you begin, you might like to expand into using other tools such as various pens, coloured pencils or watercolour. Your choice of materials will evolve over time. Start simple, have a play and slowly you will discover what works for you.

You don’t have to travel to wild or exotic places to find nature. Your backyard is a perfect place to begin. If you don’t have a backyard, a local park or green space is good too. If you live in an apartment or don’t have access to parks or green space, you can always focus your observations on the sky. You will be surprised how much there is to observe in the clouds, the movement of birds or the changes in weather and wind.

If you find yourself asking ‘Where do I begin?’, step outside and see what you notice. Sit on the grass and be still for a moment. Tune into your senses and let them guide you. You might like to focus on one small, natural object, such as a flower or a leaf. Ask yourself what you can see, hear, smell, feel and (if it’s appropriate) taste. It can be fun to explore a leaf with all your senses, feeling the texture of its surface under your fingers, observing its margins and veins, putting it up to your ear and listening to the sound it makes as you crinkle it between your fingers. Does it have a smell? Is it safe to taste?

When you are ready to start your journal page there are different ways to record your observations in nature. We often use a combination of three elements:

• Words (Prose, poetry, lists, labels, observations)

• Pictures (Sketches, paintings, diagrams, maps, cartoons, stick figures)

• Numbers (Measurements, counts, graphs)

You can use any combination of these to build a record of your time in nature and deepen your understanding and connection with your environment. When you use elements of all three you will begin to build vibrant and interesting journal pages that you will cherish for years to come.

So, head outside, observe, ask questions (you don’t need to know the answers), explore, wonder and enjoy!

Go to How to participate to take the next step.