Hi! My name is John and welcome to my blog!
Remember when Pokémon Go came out in the summer of 2016 and literally everybody you knew was going outside? I felt that same type of excitement as I practiced being a naturalist.
I hope to inspire anybody who reads this blog to pay closer attention to their local neighborhoods and parks. The world is a wonderfully interesting place and we need to keep it that way for future generations to enjoy.
In this blog I’ll teach you what I’ve learned as far as being a naturalist is concerned, and I’ll also be showcasing various parks around Southern California.
What does it mean to be a naturalist?
If you look up the definition of naturalist you might get a little discouraged. A naturalist is defined as somebody who is an expert of natural history and nature, but that is a bit of an exaggeration in my opinion. Being a naturalist is more of a practice than a title. Anybody can be a naturalist as long as you are observant! The best way to start is by practicing good note taking.
What’s the date?
What time is it?
What is the weather like?
What route did you take?
What is the habitat?
What did you notice?
By recording these things when you are out in nature (or literally anywhere) you are practicing being a naturalist!
What you’ll need:
Something to take notes with!
Something to take pictures with!
iNaturalist!
a trash bag!
I personally enjoy have a physical field journal, but taking notes on your phone is totally fine! The goal is to get outside and clean up our neighborhoods, so don’t feel like you need to buy anything.
iNaturalist is an amazing app where you can record the observations you make on your explorations. Not only does the app help you identify what you take pictures of, it is also a social network where professionals can confirm your observations. I had so much fun cataloging and identifying the plants and animals I came across. Make sure to use this app in tandem with your journaling as it adds a layer of learning to your observing.
Lastly, be sure to bring a trash bag along with you. Always leave the park better than you found it. If all of us can do our part, we can have a much cleaner world!
Here’s the link to iNaturalist:
Parks:
More parks coming soon!
