Nature journaling
“No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced.”
– David Attenborough
What is nature journaling?
Nature journaling is simply the act of keeping a journal that has a strong, but not necessarily exclusive, focus on nature.
A nature journal is a personal expression of your relationship to nature and might take the form of a naturalist’s records, a poetry notebook, a written journal, a scrapbook, a photo album, an artist’s sketchbook, or something else.
There are no rules about how to keep a nature journal, what it should look like, and what materials you might use. Any styles are valid and there is no need to feel constrained to any one approach, you might keep a range of different journals or try something new every year. A full definition of nature journaling is provided in this blog post.
My course “How to Start a Nature Journal” is a gentle introduction to nature journaling, created for absolute beginners. It can be accessed by as a part of the Nature Journaling Circle membership or by purchasing the course for unlimited access via the button below.
Why did I start nature journaling?
I started my first nature journal in 2016, shortly after moving to the coast in Devon, UK to begin a new freelance lifestyle. For the past few years, I had lived in an urban part of the UK, though I grew up in nature in a village and I missed that lifestyle.
Initially I didn’t know that “nature journaling” was a real thing, I was just copying the idea of “The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady” by Edith Holden, which I had long admired since my grandmother gifted me a copy.
Fast forward six years and I have tried nature journaling in a great variety of different ways and styles, and have found that nature journaling has taught me the names of plants, the habits of birds, and has brought me closer to the seasonal cycles.
I walk more, swim more, draw more, and know more, all thanks to nature journaling! Plus, I have come into contact with a community of generous-spirited like-minded nature journaling individuals through social media.
The next stage of my life is all about sharing nature journaling with others, to inspire others into this beautiful practice and help them to really see the wild around them and within themselves.
Read more about my journey into nature journaling on the International Nature Journaling Week blog and hear me talk about it on the Journaling with Nature podcast. You can also find out more in this YouTube video.
How to get started yourself
All you need to start nature journaling is a simple pencil and sketchbook and a bit of time to spend outside. I am often asked to recommend materials, but at the very beginning too many materials can get in the way; you even might get overwhelmed and stop. Start simple but regular, even a few minutes with pencil and paper a few times a week can be enough to begin a habit that will be with you for a lifetime.
If you would like to see my specific art materials and reading recommendations, you can access a list via the button below. This list contains affiliate links, from which I earn a small commission. I really appreciate your use of these links.
You can also visit my Amazon Storefront and my Bookshop.org UK storefront to buy suggested materials and books (and anything else too!) and support me at the same time.
Free nature journaling resources
Sign up to my newsletter to receive my free PDF with recommendations for getting started.
Interact with me
Please find below all the other ways you can interact with me for more nature journaling material and inspiration.
Nature Journaling videos on YouTube
Subscribe to my YouTube channel to see vlogs of my latest personal nature journaling projects, journal tours, discussions of related topics, and lots of outdoor time.
My latest video
Join the Nature Journaling Circle
Come and join my free community of nature journaling enthusiasts. The forum is algorithm free and unweighted with posts in that coveted ideal… chronological order! Everybody is kind and encouraging, so it is a great place to start sharing your work and asking for feedback.
The forum is the first stage in a wider membership journey – you can just join us for free or you can sign up for monthly Zoom tutorials and a social space. This is coming in January 2024, make sure you join the forum and sign up for my newsletter to hear more.
Regular inspiration on Instagram
Follow me on Instagram to keep up with my work, see my works in progress, watch live streams, and more. New posts most days.
