Report & Photos Submitted by Joanna Chin

On May 25th, during the Vancouver Bird Celebration week, we had a full house with 18 participants for “Nature Journal and Birding: An Introduction” event. We met at Iona Beach Regional Park on the West side of the outer ponds. It was a beautiful sunny day with a light breeze, and we set-up our chairs in a circular formation conducive for conversations and learning from each other. I started off with a land acknowledgement and meditation, and did a brief introduction explaining what nature journaling is. We discussed the concept of a sit spot, the different materials used for nature journaling, the design of a nature journal page, and what to observe and document. We practiced using sketching techniques, negative space, breaking complex shapes into simple shapes, and gesture sketches. Participants were engaged and enjoyed the session. Many people stayed to talk to each other about what was learned and how to find out more about the topic. People were interested in learning more about nature journaling and attending future workshops. 

Testimonial: I had a wonderful time and am excited to continue the journey. I appreciate you sharing your journal, teaching us some basics about sketching and sharing some of the resources. I’m planning to order John Muir Law’s book!