First, the good parts. Nature journaling in the cloud forest is especially fun and exciting because of the mind-boggling diversity of colors, textures, plants, and creatures. I can think of few other places that compare.
Lichens, mosses, orchids, tree ferns, and flowering bromeliads vie for your attention. Wisps of fog swirl around jagged ridgelines covered in a rampant quilt of vines, trees, and impossibly steep waterfalls and crashing streams. Extravagantly colored tanagers and myriad hummingbird species dart and maneuver around you. Are these hummingbirds even real? Did that one have a bill longer than it’s body? Did that other one have puffed up white leg warmers adorning its feet? Were the last two sporting eight inch long tail feathers?
Great for Nature Journaling in the Cloud Forest 🙂
- First and foremost, everything looks super cool!
- Second, there are tons of fascinating birds.
- Next, the weather is not too hot.
- Importantly, there is good coffee nearby!
- The geography is dramatic and aesthetic.
- Finally, there are often waterfalls and cool streams.
Less Good for Nature Journaling…
It’s not all fun, games, and flowers in the cloud forest. In fact, there are aspects that are very challenging. Below are some examples.
- It rains a lot. Actually, some of the rainiest places on earth are cloud forests. Have you practiced nature journaling in the rain?
- Even if it is not raining the humidity is usually 100% or very close. I hope you are ready for your watercolors to dry super slow!
- Significantly, transportation can be sketchy or impossible. Remember the dramatic geography? Well those steep ridgelines, waterfalls, and tons of rain also cause landslides and damaged roads. In addition, the roads are windy and scary.
- Some cloud forests have biting insects, walking leeches, and arboreal pit vipers. These can be pros or cons depending on your perspective.
- Last but not least, there is a diversity of fascinating and beautiful things to see. Wait, wasn’t that a positive thing? Yes, it is. If you are prepared for nature journaling in an information dense environment.
What are Cloud Forests?
A cloud forest is an evergreen, tropical or subtropical forest where almost all aspects are shaped by the presence of clouds at canopy level. A variety of factors can cause this but it is usually related to mountains and altitude that trap clouds close to the ground. This persistent moisture promotes an abundant growth of epiphytes (plants that grow on other plants.) It is common for just one leaf to be covered in lichens, mosses, and even micro-orchids. You can read more about cloud forests including their tenuous conservation status here. It also influences the structure of the trees to be shorter and have smaller leaves than the lowland rain forest.
You can learn more about the plight of an endangered cloud forest ecosystem in this video.
Nature Journaling in the Ecuadorean Cloud Forest
As you saw in the map above, a major chunk of the world’s cloud forests are in the northwest of the South American continent. This is right where the Andes mountains are. The country of Ecuador, despite it’s small size contains a disproportionate amount of this fascinating ecosystem. That is one of the things I love about Ecuador! There are also two distinct types of cloud forest on each side of the Andes mountain range leading to even higher species diversity. The hand drawn diagram below shows where the cloud forest occurs on the eastern side of the Andes. But why does my diagram only show that side?
Andes to Amazon Nature Journaling Adventure
My diagram only shows the locations visited in the recent Andes to Amazon nature journaling trip. Eleven lucky nature journalers from the USA joined the team to nature journal for ten days from the high altitude páramo ecosystem all the way down to the amazon rain forest. One of the places that we stopped was at the Guango cloud forest lodge where we saw sword billed hummingbirds, turquoise jays, and green jays among other things! Below is one of my nature journal pages from the cloud forest stage of the Andes to Amazon trip.
If you want to go on a trip like this you can either wait until next year’s Andes to Amazon Adventure or you can sign up for my Costa Rica trip for this year! Learn more about the Costa Rica, Nature Journal Beach Vacation here. Costa Rica is also famous for its cloud forests. Despite the fact that the Nature Journal Beach Vacation will not visit these areas you could easily cruise up there after our beach nature journaling retreat is over. Let me know if you need travel tips. Below is a video about nature journaling in the Monteverde Cloud Forest which is one of the most famous in Costa Rica if not the entire world.
Tips for Nature Journaling in the Cloud Forest
- First, prepare yourself for wetness.
- Choose locations with covered areas that you can nature journal from.
- Bring a waterproof backpack that your entire kit can fit in. I have been using this one.
- Train yourself to nature journal in the rain before you go. See this video for some ideas.
- Finally, try waterproof sketchbooks from Rite in the Rain. I have been experimenting with these for several years. My favorite one is this one with no lines. I like to use this pencil with it. It is a resilient pencil that also allows for more line variation. I prefer it to the pencils and pens that Rite in the Rain sells. Paint pens are also a fun tool that works. They are a good way to add large areas of color quickly. I have used them in cloud forests and mangroves. Here is a set with a mix of colors.
- Equally important to preparing for wetness is to set your intentions and do some research before you go. This can help you not get overwhelmed by the information dense environment.
- Lastly, when traveling in general I recommend making local connections as much as possible. If you can meet some locals, or stay at a farm, or somehow share more with people you will have a better experience. Some cloud forest areas are very touristy and it can be hard to find a deeper experience.
Want to join me for a nature journal adventure?
This year’s trip was a great success. I would love to have you join the trip next year. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter and check my calendar to stay up to date. Also, don’t forget that I will be leading a nature journaling trip in Costa Rica the first week of December. If nature journaling on the beach with your feet in the sand sounds like your style then check out that trip here.Â
Do you still need more help getting started with nature journaling?
Regardless of your experience, we got you right here. Below are links to some super resources for beginner nature journalers.
Are you just getting started with Nature Journaling?
Here are tips and motivation for beginners.
