Hug A Tree

PictureThis

Botanist in your pocket; an online plant encyclopedia and plant identifier

Leafsnap is a series of electronic field guides being developed by researchers from Columbia University, the University of Maryland, and the Smithsonian Institution. The free mobile apps use visual recognition software to help identify tree species from photographs of their leaves. They contain beautiful high-resolution images of leaves, flowers, fruits, petioles, seeds and bark.

TenTree

How can 1 tree impact our world?

Our City Forest Urban Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt

Canopy Planting Trees

Leaf Man

Fall has come, the wind is gusting, and Leaf Man is on the move. Is he drifting east, over the marsh and ducks and geese? Or is he heading west, above the orchards, prairie meadows, and spotted cows? No one's quite sure, but this much is certain: A Leaf Man's got to go where the wind blows.

By Lois Elhert

The Hugging Tree

A little tree ends up on a cliff and must grow there. She finds comfort in the sea and the moon, support from loons, and connection and warmth from the people sitting in her shade. The Hugging Tree is a poetic and peaceful story that aims to teach children about hope and resilience.

By Jill Neimark, Illustrated by Nicole Wong

The Souvenir Challenge

Tony Foster, Fall Colour in Great Meadow, Concord (Souvenir detail) 2012, from Foster's Journey Exploring Beauty: Watercolour Diaries from the Wild — Tony Foster, *Fall Colour in Great Meadow, Concord* (Souvenir detail) 2012, from Foster's Journey Exploring Beauty: Watercolour Diaries from the Wild

Tony Foster carefully selects souvenirs to include with his paintings, usually mounted within the frame near an excerpt from his journal. These painted or real objects carry symbolic meaning that share with the viewer a different perspective of Foster’s experience in the wild. Types of souvenirs in Foster’s paintings include:

Studies: Small, fully-realized paintings of an object or view Foster encountered while painting
Maps: Small, topographical maps that show the exact painting site where Foster created the painting
Artifacts: Natural objects or ephemera collected during Foster’s travels or created to accompany his paintings such as: stones, shells, leaves, dive records
Talismans: Individual or combinations of real symbolic objects associated with human interaction with the land such as: arrowheads, potsherds, dreamcatchers, prayer flags

Did you know that it’s illegal to pick a poppy in California on state land? Each Journeys@Home project includes a Souvenir Challenge in which your family is asked to draw, collect, or create an object to keep as a reminder of your shared experience. When choosing a souvenir, take care to only collect items that can be legally moved, leaving wildlife, plants, and fossils on the trails where they belong. Be creative with your souvenir choice. If you find a bit of flora or fauna that you want to bring home with you as a memento, draw it or take a photograph instead, preserving the health and beauty of the wilderness and taking care to leave it even better than you found it.

What is Nature Journaling?

Nature journaling is simply documenting your observations of nature. There are no right and wrong ways to start a journal. Include image and text, observations and questions, sketches of flowers and insects, notes, objects, and even photographs. In each of our Backyard Discoveries, we encourage nature journaling during the outdoor experience as both a fun family activity and a way to build connections between ourselves and the natural world that is all around us.

HOW TO GET STARTED?

Begin with a subject area that interests you, and research the plants and animals that you may encounter before you leave home. This research time can turn an everyday walk around the block into a fun game or adventure.
Pick up a notebook and some crayons and pencils. Consider bringing a magnifying glass and binoculars as well.
Go for a walk or look around your own yard, taking a minute to slow down and notice the small things. Describe what captures your attention through observational drawing and written notes.
Encourage children to use all of their senses, and show enthusiasm for shared discoveries.

Tony Foster's drawing board and painting setup in Wistman's Wood, Devon, England, October 2013. Photo by Tony Foster

HELPFUL HINTS

The practice of nature journaling will take time to develop. Schedule in some regular time for your nature walks, and don’t rush your experiences. One of the main benefits is allowing yourself and your children to slow down.

As your interest in nature journaling deepens, you may want to practice drawing plants and animals before you find them outside. Once you are comfortable with sketching the basic shapes, you’ll be able to spend more of your time focusing on the details that make each plant and animal unique.

The Nature Journal Club led by John Muir Laws has wonderful online resources, including free teaching materials and tutorials!