Before I begin this post, I want to take a moment to acknowledge that the reasons described below are very much my own. They are not by any means universal, but I thought I would take some time to share why the practice of nature journaling is so important to me.
First, I should probably set the stage a little. I have been doing some form of nature journaling since around age 6. It definitely was not the type of nature journaling I do now and was heavily focused on trips to “outdoor” travel locations, but it was my first real foray into nature journal pencil miles. I didn’t start nature journaling as I do now until maybe 2022, which is likely related to why the practice became so important to me. Below are the top 3 reasons that I nature journal
Reason #3: A way to stretch my scientific muscles
I have always wanted to be a scientist. As a preschooler, I was already firmly committed to the idea of becoming a paleontologist (before the first Jurassic Park movie was released). My science courses were always my favorite in school, though I became more fond of math as I got older, and eventually I majored in general science in college because I couldn’t narrow down to a particular focus. Even during my work in the classroom, I always enjoyed attempting to analyze and problem solve my way through the world of education.
Deep down, I think it is because curiosity is a key part of who I am. I genuinely enjoy asking questions and trying to find the answer – though the older I get, the more open I am to not immediately finding the answer. I find joy in seeking the answers for myself in what I see around me. And as a math teacher, I actually think it is cool to collect data and try to discern the patterns in it. Sometimes I can… and other times I find that there is just another question waiting around the corner. Either way, nature journaling provides me with an authentic way to stretch my scientific muscles.
More recently, I have been learning about using nature journaling in combination with technology to collect data as a citizen scientist. While I may not work in science professionally, the data that I and other citizen scientists collect and share can be valuable nonetheless. There is not nearly enough funding available to support research into the changes occurring around the planet in the plants and animals that we share space with. But using programs like eBird and iNaturalist can help me and others get a clearer sense of the natural world around us, including valuable data that scientists can use.
Reason #2: A creative outlet and pencil miles
Probably a side effect of my curiosity, I love to be creative and find new ways to capture things. Telling stories and writing poetry gives me a way to record my thinking in words. Trying to find ways to clearly describe what I see and hear and smell stretches my vocabulary and communication skills. Currently, I have a lot of fun trying to describe bird calls that I hear.
For a long time, I didn’t draw much because I compared my art a lot to other people’s. In high school, I had a tough time in an art class because I wanted to do fewer pieces well than more pieces that were less well done. I had not yet become aware of the idea of pencil miles – that to get better at drawing, you have to draw. A LOT. Now, I try to draw at least once a week. Sometimes, it is digital, sometimes it is physical media. Either way, I have also learned the importance of learning from other people. Artists aren’t born – they practice! And the more I have practiced, the more my artwork looks the way I want it to.
Which is not to say that I don’t make mistakes, but that I can now see them more as part of the learning process. This was an idea that I used to tell my math and science students all the time, but had a tougher time telling myself. In the last couple years, I have really started to believe in it though. It also helps me learn what works for me and what doesn’t. Every naturalist/nature journaler’s bag will look different – and that is part of the beauty of the process.
My Reason #1: being present
The first two really aren’t in a particular order, but this is 100 percent the top reason nature journaling is important to me. In my personal and professional life, I fell into the easy trap of “busy”. The work of a teacher is a lot and combining that with being supportive of my family and friends meant that I didn’t make time for me… or rather felt I couldn’t. I spent a lot of time and money trying to learn new technologies that I hoped would give me an edge.
But when everything shifted in 2020 and I was in front of a computer screen for hours and hours, I didn’t want to be on a computer as much anymore. So I would get outside. Walk around my neighborhood or on a local trail. And the more I got outdoors, the more I wanted to be outdoors and to slow down. I would spend hours on short walks. I started to notice things around me more, when flowers would bloom, mushrooms would pop up, or just how many different kinds of birds lived within walking distance of my house.
My nature journal became a place for me to record the things I was seeing, whether for the first time or maybe just a little more clearly. It gives me a place to write the questions I have and the connections I make. And to capture these thoughts, ideas, and images more clearly in the field, I had to learn to take my time and be really present with the world in front of me – not as I thought it to be, but as it truly is. Which to me has been the most powerful lesson nature journaling has taught me so far and one which I have tried to bring more into other aspects of my life.
The unexpected twist was the effect it had on my health. Though it was by no means a magical overnight cure, getting outside and not rushing everywhere decreased my stress levels. I was able to sleep better. My heart rate was not as high all the time and my blood pressure started to go back to normal. I found myself more full of joy and hope. And those have been some of the greatest surprises of all.
Closing Thoughts
As I mentioned in the opening, everyone’s experience and reasons for nature journaling are unique. I think deep down it is rooted in the need for connection. To connect meaningfully with the world around us… to connect to ourselves on a deeper level… and to connect to each other. The people I have met through the nature journaling and naturalist communities have truly shaped me into a better person. And I know that journey is just getting started.
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