It can sometimes be difficult to find nature close to home. Or so you might think. Nature is truly everywhere.  You just have to realize that it isn’t always the grand concepts of nature that you see in movies and in pictures. Change the way you perceive the environment around you. It would be nice to be able to step out of your front door and experience a herd of bison or look up at a majestic mountain scene. For most people that would require a drive or flight somewhere that is far from their community.

Mourning doves in our backyard.

Nature is close to home, though. It’s right in your backyard…down the street from your house…in the small park on the other side of town..or along the paved walking trail through the city centre. You just have to redefine what you consider nature to be. Think smaller and do not overlook common plants, insects, and wildlife. Borrow or purchase field guides and learn more about common species – their habitats, their food preferences and habits.  Count and keep track of how many species you see and where you saw them. You will be surprised at the variety of life you will find that it has been right there under your nose the whole time.

Skipper on backyard butterfly bush.

In our backyard alone, I have found crickets, grasshoppers, bees, snails, praying mantis, butterflies, beetles, ants, moths, caterpillars and their cocoons. I have also discovered a number of different mushrooms growing in different types of earth. And if you want even more life in your own yard, them start planting native wildflowers, and providing habitat and food sources for wildlife.

Make a point of finding new spots to look at different species. Start with the most obvious places and work your way to the more uncommon places – your yard, small parks, community gardens, vacant lots, bridges, cemeteries, ditches, forest trails, farms, zoos, memorial forests, mature neighbourhoods, marinas, ponds, reclaimed habitats and so on. There are so many places that we often overlook that can be beautiful natural spaces.

Art Teasel Wildlife Refuge in Sarnia, Ontario.

Keep a journal of species you find and where you have found them. Are you a photographer? Why not make a photo journal! Plan an outing with friends or family and complete one of our scavenger hunts!

Where are your favourite urban outdoor spaces? Tell us in the comments below.