Explore nature and wildlife skills for Scouts and outdoor adventures, including animal tracks, plants, trees, insects, conservation, observation and natural navigation.
After a spell of rain, a woodland floor can look as though every twig and branch is too wet to burn. Yet not all wood gets wet at the same rate. Some material stays sheltered beneath dense foliage, while the inside of a dead branch can remain considerably drier than its rain-soaked surface. Knowing where…
A woodland floor, hedgerow or patch of grass can look quiet until you start noticing the signs of life around you. A hole beneath a tree root, a nest tucked into a hedge or a web stretched between two branches can tell you that an animal has been using that spot for shelter, raising young…
When you’re navigating outdoors, you don’t always need to follow an exact bearing from one point to another. Sometimes it is easier and safer to use features that are already in the landscape to guide you. Two particularly useful navigation techniques are handrails and catching features. They are simple ideas, but they can make navigation…
You don’t need to know the names of hundreds of plants and animals to keep a nature journal. In fact, one of the best things about starting one is that it gives you a reason to slow down and pay attention to what is happening around you. A nature journal can be as simple as…
Collecting things you find on the ground can be a useful part of spending time outdoors. Fallen sticks can be used for fire lighting, while leaves, pine cones, seed pods and other natural materials can be useful for identification, nature study and practical activities. The trick is knowing what is reasonable to collect and what…
You don’t always see the animals that live around you. In fact, most wildlife is much better at avoiding people than people are at spotting it. What you can often find, though, are the little signs they leave behind. A footprint in soft mud, freshly nibbled vegetation or a narrow trail through long grass can…
Getting outside is one of the best ways to appreciate the natural world. But the more people who visit outdoor spaces, the more important it becomes to think about the effect we have while we’re there. That doesn’t mean you need to tiptoe through the countryside afraid of touching anything. It mostly comes down to…
There is a big difference between being outside and actually noticing what is going on around you. You can walk the same woodland path ten times and still miss things that were there all along. A broken branch, a set of animal tracks, a change in the wind, birds suddenly going quiet, or a path…
What Is a Naturalist’s Field Notebook? A naturalist’s field notebook is simply a place to record things you notice outdoors. It doesn’t need to be fancy. A cheap notebook and pencil can be enough. The important part is learning to observe carefully and record useful details. Your notebook might contain: Choose the Right Notebook A…
Wildlife spotting is not just about seeing animals. In fact, most wild animals are much better at avoiding people than people are at finding them. The good news is that animals leave clues behind. Tracks, feathers, chewed nuts, droppings, burrows and disturbed vegetation can all tell you that an animal has been active nearby. Learning…
