Nature Journaling

Aubrey Ellickson Fulsaas

Children’s Events Coordinator

The practice of keeping a written or illustrated nature journal has existed since the beginning of recorded history. Many of the great naturalists and scientists we’ve learned from, including Darwin, Leopold, and Thoreau, all practiced nature journaling by recording their observations of the more-than-human world. A personal nature journal can be used as a vault of observation, a record of natural history, an artistic homage to creation, or simply a notebook to jot down thoughts that arise when outdoors.

This journaling provides an outlet for observing and remembering what you experience in nature. The observation required for nature journaling goes beyond simply seeing, delving into a deeper appreciation of small details often overlooked. Journaling requires us to slow down and practice mindfulness, all while stimulating our creative and scientific thinking skills. It can be a shared family activity, enjoyed by all ages and abilities. It can also be a much-needed respite from the stress of technology and has even shown benefits to neurological plasticity and cognitive health.

Beginning a nature journal does not require any prerequisites in creative writing or artistic skill. There are no rules to what goes into a nature journal, and developing a practice is as individual as the person taking their journey. Some choose a more scientific approach, recording dates, times, and locations of new observations. Others choose to write down musings, thoughts, or questions that pop into their brain when observing nature, organizing their words and drawings as a cloud of imaginative curiosity on the page. Nature journaling is a skill that only improves with practice and patience.

Nature journaling can take place anywhere nature exists. It can be as simple as writing down observations and illustrating plants in a backyard or neighborhood. By adding a date to the observations, each page of the journal becomes a data mine in phenology – the study of seasons and when nature phenomena occur during the year.

You may begin with a small unlined journal and a pencil. To focus on illustrations, add a set of colored pencils or portable watercolor paints and use a notebook with thicker, multimedia paper. Additions to the kit can also include identification guides or a small magnifying glass. If questions arise while journaling, studying guidebooks can help answer them or create more research for later, extending the journey of learning.

Start by becoming more aware of what you are noticing. Focus on what draws your attention and let that be the subject of your first journal entry. Describe or draw what you see and try to include every small detail. As you observe, allow yourself to wonder and your mind to wander, reflecting on your own thoughts and feelings. This will bring a renewed sense of wonder, awe, and curiosity.

Imagine slowly hiking through a forest, giving as much attention to your surroundings as possible. Become aware of every detail –the patterns of bark, the shapes of leaves, the rustling of nearby animal activity. By being mindful and present, a series of connections form with the life around you. You might see a small spiderweb glistening in the sun, nestled between two plant stems. This spiderweb deserves to be memorialized for its beauty, and perhaps a photograph can’t capture all its intrica cies. Think about the details, such as the small repeating patterns, or a shriveled oak leaf delicately hanging off the bottom of the web. At the center of the master piece may sit the artist in residence - a small spider, no more than a half-inch long, nestled and motion less within its creation. Draw the spider’s likeness in your nature journal, noticing its symmetry and perhaps the patterns of whites and browns dotting the abdomen and legs.

By taking the time to record this web, you have cemented a new connection with nature. In the future, when flipping through the pages of your nature journal, you can relive this moment and the wonder you felt.

A peruse through a nature journal can provide insight into migration patterns, growing seasons, and the effects of climate change on local flora and fauna. It can also provide insight into our own connections within ourselves and the amazing natural world around us. The next time you plan on visiting the Center or wherever you go to explore nature consider bringing a journal to record your observations.

CLAIRE DAVIDSON Grants Specialist

We Energies' commitment to charitable giving is exemplified through their unwavering support of local non-profit organizations. Not only do they power homes and businesses throughout Wisconsin, but they also fuel the efforts of many non-profit organizations through their dedicated philanthropic efforts. The We Energies Foundation has been Schlitz Audubon’s community partner since 1982, and over this time they have donated over $550,000 in support of our mission! The Center is so grateful to the We Energies Foundation for their generous support in two key programming areas: Animal Ambassadors and Youth Scholarships.

A long-time supporter of Schlitz Audubon’s feathered animal ambassadors, the We Energies Foundation has sponsored the popular Raptor Saturday program since 2005, ensuring that this event is always free for Center visitors. During these monthly demonstrations, audience members have the special opportunity to share space with a selection of our remarkable birds and view them from a mere few feet away. With the help of staff members and trained volunteers, our birds—like Loki the American Crow or Willow the Northern Saw-whet Owl—share information about their wild relatives, habitat concerns, and issues facing raptors today.

Our raptors have also been the featured performers at Energy Park at the Wisconsin State Fair for the last 15 years. Through dynamic live shows, raptor ambassadors take the stage for unique interactive experiences while spreading awareness of conservation issues, inspiring environmental stewardship, and sharing the successful work We Energies conducts to support wild raptor populations.

The We Energies Foundation is also a strong partner of our Youth Scholarship Program. Through this initiative, Schlitz Audubon educators provide high-quality field trips for free or at minimal cost to children who attend schools where most of the student body experiences economic challenges. The goal of this program is to remove the physical and social barriers that often prevent people who live in lower-income Greater Milwaukee communities from forming strong connections to the natural world.

Outdoor exploration and learning from nature can be transformational experiences for students, and many scholarship program recipients live in neighborhoods with few green spaces or play areas. During the 2022-2023 school year, over 4,100 scholarship students had the opportunity to go ponding at Mystery Lake, hike the glacial terrain of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, or even see a live Peregrine Falcon spread its wings.

New this year, the We Energies Foundation invited Schlitz Audubon to expand our State Fair offerings to highlight our reptile and amphibian ambassadors. In the Wildlife of Wisconsin Program, visitors to Energy Park can look forward to new experiences like watching a fox snake slither along a peg board or touching an ornate box turtle’s grooved shell. Staff and volunteer handlers will share information about each animal’s habitat, role in the environment, and adaptations.

Schlitz Audubon raptor, reptile, and amphibian ambassadors will be at the We Energies State Fair Energy Park August 3-13, 10:00am to 3:15pm.

Thank you again to the We Energies Foundation for helping to power Schlitz Audubon's mission! Your support has connected so many people throughout Wisconsin to environmental education.

Art In The Mezzanine

MARY MENDLA

Through August 27