Keeping a nature journal

By Waymon Cox

  Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park!  Though most visitors to the Crater tend to focus on diamond mining, our park has hundreds of acres of outdoor beauty that can also be explored.  One of the best ways to increase awareness and appreciation of the natural world, at a park or at home, is through keeping a nature journal.  This fun activity requires few tools, serves many purposes, and can be enjoyed at any age.

  Basic tools used to make a nature journal include a pencil or pen and, of course, the journal.  A pencil is erasable and lets the journal keeper sketch detailed pictures with many shades, but the lead will smudge unless protected.  A pen may be the better choice, as with a little practice, it can provide detailed drawings that last much longer than pencil.

  The journal may take any shape, from a large, bound book with lots of paper, to a simple spiral pocket notebook.  White sketching paper may be used for a journal with many drawings, or lined sheets for written descriptions and fewer drawings.

  Like these tools, journal entries can be simple or technical and depend on the knowledge and goals of the writer.  Outdoor experiences can be detailed in paragraphs, but it doesn’t take much knowledge to sketch a picture or write why something is beautiful or interesting.  Basic information like the date, time, location, and current weather can help the keeper pay close attention to surroundings and see new things every day!

  A nature journal can be kept for many reasons.  With spring quickly approaching, gardeners are already preparing for this year.  Like an almanac, a nature journal can help gardeners track temperature and weather trends each year to predict the best planting conditions.  Problems may also be recorded and anticipated in the future.  Unlike an almanac, however, a nature journal can be specific to one garden or gardener’s preferences.  Hunting, backpacking, kayaking, and countless other outdoor pursuits can benefit similarly from a nature journal.

  For a scientific mind, a nature journal is a good way to record flora and fauna in a particular area.  The journal can include one type of animal or plant, or it may have a broader scope.  Information like the date, time, habitat, and weather conditions for each entry can be helpful to scientists using the journal for research.  This type of nature journal can also be used to record geologic findings like native rocks and minerals, nearby streams, altitude, and other significant features about a person’s surroundings.

  Most importantly, the nature journal serves as a window into the life of its writer.  Its contents give readers insight into the keeper’s interests, beliefs, personal thoughts, and more.  A journal does not have to focus on any particular subject, but may wind from one topic to the next, like a river winding through the keeper’s life.

  Not only does a nature journal provide a fun pastime and important research, the visual and textual histories therein can be a source of enjoyment for years!

Search area last plowed:  February 3, 2010

Diamond finds for January 28 - 31, 2010

January 28 - Levi Crise, Hot Springs, AR, 66 pt. white