7th June, 10 am - 11: 30 am Costa Rica (CST); 9 am - 10:30 am Pacific

La metamorfosis del diario de naturaleza (This workshop is in Spanish)

7th June, 7pm - 8pm Eastern time USA; 8th June, 9am - 10am Brisbane, Australia (AEST)

Clare Walker Leslie - Falling in Love With Nature

Tending to plants is an act of hope. When we invest our time and energy into our garden, potted plants or houseplants, it is because we are working towards helping them thrive in the future. If you have a garden, spend some time nature journaling what you are growing. Keeping a garden journal helps us to notice more and make useful observations. If you do not have space for a garden, you could consider growing something in a pot on a sunny windowsill, or even grow some microgreens on the kitchen bench! Even the smallest act like this can bring hope and connection.

If you do have a patch of green to tend to, what would it look like if you realised your wildest garden imaginings? Draw and write about your dream garden. What do you wish to see there? What is growing? What kind of natural visitors is it attracting? And…how could you take steps to make this a reality?

Look around and find something in nature that you never want to lose. It might be bird species that is unique to your area, an individual tree, or a particular view. Journal about why it matters to you and how it could be protected or nurtured into the future.

Take a moment to vision a future in which nature and humanity are thriving. What would that look like? What would need to change to make this future a reality? In your nature journal, draw a simple representation or map showing where we are now, and the future you hope for. What small steps could help bridge the gap between the two?

If the animals, plants, land, water, or air could speak, what would they ask of us? In your nature journal create a “wish list” from the perspective of the natural world. What needs to change in order to check things off the list? What practical things could you do to work toward this? Perhaps you could join a tree planting group, write to your local politician about an issue in your community, or simply share nature journaling with another person, to expand appreciation for your local nature.

Seeds hold entire worlds inside them. They are like tiny packets of potential, waiting for the right conditions to grow. Find a seed (or draw one from memory) and reflect in your journal: What future does this seed carry? What kinds of seeds (ideas, habits, hopes) are you planting in your own life? How could you give them the right conditions to grow?

In nature, everything is connected. People are part of this too. In community we can support each other and work towards a better future for all life on earth. Use your journal to reflect on how being in community, with others who care for nature, strengthens your sense of hope and helps build a more connected, resilient future. What does our community look like? How do we support each other? How can we strengthen our connections within the nature journaling community?