From the mindset of writing a nature observation journal, to writing tips, tools, and the basics of drawing,
Drawing various subjects such as plants, birds, animals, and landscapes, and even tips for keeping a diary.
How to see, feel, and love the wonderful world that surrounds us

Recommended by Professor Choi Jae-cheon, author Ida, Edward Wilson, and Jane Goodall
John Burroughs Award
Keeping a Nature Journal, the classic nature journal guide, 3rd edition

Claire Walker Leslie, an American naturalist and educator, has released a new version of her book, Nature Observation Journal.
First published in 2000, it has been at the forefront of the nature observation and documentation movement for the past 25 years, introducing people to a different way of seeing the world and providing easy-to-follow recording and drawing methods for those who wish to fully see, feel, and connect with nature.
This completely revised third edition introduces creative techniques that allow even non-artists to observe nature in detail and deepen their observational skills through drawing, in a more accessible and concrete way.
It is a rich collection of diaries, sketches, and watercolors written and drawn by the author himself, as well as examples of nature observation diaries from his students over several generations, making it a useful guide that can be referenced on a regular basis.

I've been watching people outdoors for a long time, observing clouds, tree shapes, rain showers, butterflies, crows, sunsets, turtles, and daffodils.
Everyone was absorbed in putting what they saw, heard, felt, and learned onto paper and had fun.
Just sitting for a while, looking at the nature around you, and quietly communing with it can relieve stress, clear your mind, and bring peace to your heart.
These days, children have less and less time to rest at school, and when they get home, they rarely go out to play.
As I teach children, I've noticed that even if I go outside for a little while, children of all ages become quiet and, with amazing concentration, discover things I've never seen before.
I teach 15 or 25 students at a time and am always amazed at how well-behaved they are.
According to teachers, children's concentration improves when they return to the classroom after spending time observing, exploring, writing, and drawing in nature.
Children's innate interest in nature is always amazing.
There was even a child who insisted, “Can’t we stay out all day without eating lunch?”
--- p.22

Phenology is the continuous collection of data on various natural phenomena, such as seasonal weather changes, plant growth, and animal behavior.
Amateur and professional observers record specific dates for when buds emerge on trees and when leaves and flowers bloom.
It is also the time of the return of spring insects, the arrival and departure of migratory birds, mating and nesting, and the preparation of local animals for winter and the emergence of the following spring.

Why is this data becoming increasingly important? To understand and address future environmental challenges, scientists need climate data—evidence of changes, both normal and abnormal.
For example, long-term studies of glacier retreat and permafrost loss have made it clear that droughts and floods are becoming increasingly severe.

...
Keeping a nature observation journal is an opportunity to become a citizen scientist by conducting your own phenology research.
...
Many people feel helpless and anxious when they think about the future of the Earth.
Take action to better understand what's happening around you.
The realization that you are actually taking action on something helps to soothe feelings of helplessness and anxiety.
--- p.44

If you do a lot of sketching, I recommend a small, hardcover sketchbook with smooth, quilted paper.
You can find sketchbooks in a variety of sizes at art supply stores or stationery stores.
If you prefer to write in a paper-based manner and don't mind lines in your sketches, I recommend a lined, hardcover or spiral notebook.
If you're hesitant to use a hardcover notebook or are keeping a journal with several people, you can clip individual sheets of paper to a clipboard or secure them to a piece of hard cardboard with clips.
However, please organize all the filled out papers in chronological order and store them in a file or binder.
You can easily take it out later and trace the natural changes that occur with the seasons, as well as the development of your knowledge and personality.
If you want to record your outdoor observations on a rainy or cold day, take several sheets of paper folded into quarters or a small notepad that fits in your pocket.
This way, even if the paper gets wet, you can still redraw the journal later and add any details or colors you want.
I often do that with my students during class.
--- p.56

Be prepared for your diary to get ruined.
Even in my diary, the corners tend to wear out and the pages get wrinkled as I write.
I usually keep my diary in my car.
I also show it to my friends and students.
The diary gets wet from rain or snow, and my granddaughters doodle on the blank pages.
--- p.58

Many people burst out laughing when they draw outlines.
Regardless of age, skill level, or intention, everyone ends up drawing similar pictures! But if you look closely, you'll see the essence of your drawings.
As you draw two outlines, you will quickly gain confidence and improve your completion level.
--- p.71

Everyone is afraid of failure.
As adults, as teachers, as friends, we continually tell our students, “That’s great, keep going.
You have to say, “Try again.”
We should emulate children who are always busy and curious and don't have time to worry about how 'well' they draw.
--- p.77

Also think about why you want to draw nature and keep a diary.
If you feel obligated and don't enjoy the process of drawing or writing, don't force yourself to do it.
Just go outside for a few minutes, see, listen, and pay attention.
One of my students said this:
“I was a depressed person.
“Until I took my diary out and started noticing the nature that surrounded me.” --- p.91

I needed these moments and images so much when my mother was dying and my children were too young to understand my feelings.
The strength to drive three hours to be with my mother and take care of the children was thanks to the 'Special Images of the Day'.
But I still don't know where the term itself came from.
This habit, which began in the summer of 1993, continues to this day and always fills me with gratitude for the world.
--- p.96

I've been teaching my own nature journaling method across the United States for over 40 years.
The books I write are loved not only in North America but also all over the world.
What's the secret to this popularity? People everywhere want to connect with nature, and I offer an easy way to do so.
My students also teach what I have learned in kindergarten through high school classes, in the homes of homeschoolers, in university environmental studies programs, at camps, in retirement communities, in hospitals, prisons, and even in rehabilitation and recovery facilities.
The foundation of a nature observation journal is to be curious about and to cherish the natural communities that live alongside us in the same area.
--- p.195

The fourth graders were out on the playground, running around, excitedly observing.
The teacher who was watching those children next to me said:
“How can you rate joy?” --- p.200

Researchers at the Harvard Graduate School of Education compared Needham elementary school students who participated in the "For Big Sky" program with those who did not in 1985 and 1986.
The study found that students who participated in the program had a 37 percent higher music appreciation ability, a 13 percent higher literary reading ability, and a 5 percent higher visual arts expression ability.
--- p.205

A nature observation journal is not a handout or worksheet, but rather a study book for each child.
You should be evaluated on what you learned, not on whether you drew beautifully or wrote long text.
I love keeping a nature observation journal so much that I've seen students take their journals out of their desks every morning.
Nature observation journals are free-flowing and unstructured, making them one of the most enjoyable assignments for parents.
It's because of the pictures and text, but more than anything, it's because it reveals the process of a child learning new things over time.

--- p.207