Want to connect to nature? Try nature journaling – a wonderful way to slow down and open our eyes to the natural beauty all around us.
Keeping a nature journal may sound like a big project, but it’s pretty straightforward. It’s just a matter of getting a notebook, going out into nature and documenting what you encounter. That’s it. Even if you start small, the rewards are great, enabling anyone to forge an intimate bond with nature. So grab a pen (more on that later) and go.
With over 20 years of experience, botanist Lara Call Gastinger reveals the what, why and how of nature journaling.
Why start nature journaling?
I think it’s a first step to become emotionally connected with plants and feeling like you’re a part of something, I think we’re too removed from that right now. And so pausing, getting off your phone and drawing outside can be a really deep experience. It’s being curious about what the natural world is doing and also having that sense of awe and wonder. That’s when we want to save things and care about things.
See the journal as a way to experiment creatively, observe and enjoy nature.
Every time I go out, I find something new. There’s such a thrill and you’re so humbled by realizing how little we know about the world around us. You learn to really see things. I always tell my kids that it’s better than a video game. There are treasures everywhere.
How does drawing nature help to connect with it?
It has that mindful aspect to it where you’re very much being in that present moment. You get to know the details and so that focus can be a way of understanding the plant. Once you draw it, you really know it, almost like a person.
You’re not just drawing something once, you’re drawing it over the seasons. So you get to see it at multiple angles and multiple times, when the leaves change color, when it makes a flower or a fruit.
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Do you have to be able to draw?
People feel like they have to draw perfectly. They’re like, ‘I practiced this on another piece of paper before I put it in my perpetual journal’. But it’s not about that. It’s a place where there can be mistakes and imperfection. When you’re able to write down an observation it feeds upon itself and you get really excited… What am I going to see next week? It’s the awareness that you can see a plant, you can draw it, you can learn about it, you can connect with it.
I first did a plant drawing when I was 15 – at a nature camp at the National Wildlife Federation. I now have a master’s degree in plant ecology and thought I was going to end up being a field botanist, but got a job illustrating plants for the Flora of Virginia – a reference manual for the state. I did that for 10 years. That’s where my idea for a perpetual journal came from.
What is a perpetual journal?
You get a blank journal and date each spread – until you have 52 spreads – two pages for each week. You have a whole week to draw something or make notes and then keep going. It repeats and in the end, there will be several years’ worth of drawings in one spread.
It means you can see changes: when things bloom too early or when things don’t bloom. And there’s also hope in that you see how the world keeps going on, nature keeps its cycle.
Give it a try
You can join Lara Call Gastinger every Monday at 11 am Eastern time on Instagram Live, as part of a vibrant community of creative artists and naturalists. Come away with inspiration to draw and start your week!
How do you know which species you encounter?
You don’t have to learn all the names. That can build up over time. So start with writing, being able to observe. Note things like: what color is the flower? How many petals are there? What’s the stem like? How are the leaves arranged? Are the leaves smooth? There are some good apps to help identify what you see, like iNaturalist. Or try a field guide for your area.
When I teach botany, I teach people to learn plant families as a way to start, then you can recognize some of the family traits. I’ve heard people say that they’ve lived in a house for 15 years and through the perpetual journal they realized that the tree in the front yard was an oak. That’s powerful.
What if you don’t have easy access to nature?
There are many people that successfully do perpetual journaling in urban areas. It’s nice if you can go to a park or botanical garden, but there are plants everywhere. Even though you’re not documenting an intact ecosystem, you’re still capturing seasonal changes. Sometimes parking lots and sidewalks have really interesting microcosms that still have important stories to tell.
EXPERT TIPS
Use pen instead of pencil
Start with a light pen sketch and then refine it. This increases confidence and makes you a better artist. It also emphasizes the point that the journal is not about perfection. Also, pencil makes the journal really messy and gets all over the pages.
Work from photos too
You don’t only have to stick to only drawing outdoors. You can also pick responsibly to capture details at home, or work from photos.
Plants are easier
It can be hard to draw or get a picture of an insect or bird, so plants are easier to start with. I also like recording the birdsong I hear. There’s a great app to identify their songs: Merlin Bird ID.
You don’t need a lot of time
It can take as little as 10 minutes to draw something. You don’t have to draw the whole plant. Maybe just the flower. If you have more time, add shading, or color. We all have 10 or 15 minutes a week to connect with nature. As long as pages are dated, you can pick it up whenever you need to. Or skip it if you have something going on. It’s very forgiving.
Get the kids to join in
Why not make a family version of a perpetual journal in the house? Whenever the kids bring something in, try and draw it. Or create a nature table with specimens that change over time. It can be a really cool communal family activity.
Don’t forget the sunscreen!
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