Learn tips and tricks to nature journaling through short videos by TLC’s environmental technician Karen Iwachow. Karen learned how to nature journal at TLC’s Deertrails Naturalist Program from Briony Penn and Lynn Baldwin. You can apply for the 2020 fall session of the program at www.conservancy.bc.ca.

Nature Journaling is the tradition of recording your observations and thoughts in nature on paper. It inspires creativity, develops observational skills and improve plant and animal identifications. Journaling is meditative and connects you to the natural world. There are many different styles to nature journal, no one is right or wrong. Explore and have fun.

What you need to nature journal:

  1. The outdoors: this can be your backyard, the beach or the park! Or stay home and draw from the photos you took on your last outdoor adventure!
  2. Pen/Pencil and a notebook: you don’t have to start with fancy pens, paints and paper, try with quick gesture sketching or even doodles to begin!
  3. Time: five minutes or five hours a little bit goes a long way!
  4. Openness to explore: don’t get stressed out, this is a time to learn about yourself, there are no bad mistakes!