Log In To Nature

Log In to Nature A Family Activity Guide for the Forest

National Forest Foundation In partnership with the Suzanne & Walter Scott Foundation

Get Outside!

Grab your smartphone and head to the forest.

Studies have shown that spending time outside benefits us in many ways. From lowering blood pressure and stress to improving short-term memory, people who get outdoors are healthier, happier and more resilient.

As humans, we are meant to spend time in nature. But all too often nowadays, we are limited to scrolling on screens and sitting indoors. These habits - extended screen time and limited time in natural settings - can make us fatigued, unhappy, and can even contribute to serious health problems later in life. And this isn’t just adults working at desk jobs - this impacts entire families and especially teenagers.

This Business Insider article sums up the many benefits of nature - from fighting depression to improving the immune system. There’s a wealth of information and studies relating to this subject, but it all comes down to this: kids, teens, and adults alike all need more time outdoors.

We understand that getting outside can help our families thrive and make us happier, healthier people. But where do we start? For many, getting kids outside and away from their smartphones, tablets, computer and TV screens can be challenging - especially when you’re competing with captivating television shows and the thrill of “likes” on Instagram.

"Kids, teens, and adults alike all need more time outdoors."

But here’s the thing: nature and technology do not need to compete for your family’s attention. It’s true!

There are plenty of ways to get outside without tearing your teen away from the screen. Smartphones and the internet can be used to facilitate meaningful and fun outdoor experiences.

This activity guidebook will help families do just that: get outside and play on our National Forests, all while harnessing the latest and greatest digital technology.

Not all activities will resonate with all personality types - and that’s okay. We hope that this resource will be helpful to you in small, meaningful ways: from capturing moments stargazing to cooking up something delicious, we want families to get outside together and make memories on our National Forests.

Log In to Nature

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Beyond Shooting Stars Astronomy on our National Forests and Grasslands Astronomy is a great way spark interest in our natural world. From stargazing to tracking major solar events - there is an activity for everyone. But you don’t need your PhD in astronomy to distinguish constellations and embark on a starlit adventure: just pull out your smartphone!

Today, there are so many digital resources to assist your family.

Paired with the incomparable dark skies of our National Forests and Grasslands (free from large amounts of light pollution), these digital resources will assist your night sky adventure!

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SMARTPHONE APPS THAT ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD!

NASA Use your location to determine specific dates and locations that you’ll be able to see the International Space Station flying above!

Access spacecraft launch schedules, space news, and innovative research all in one place.

New to space discovery? Don’t worry NASA has you covered. In the “featured” section of the app, learn about each planet. The app has detailed descriptions covering the solar system, sun and gravity. It’s a great crash course in astronomy that won’t take you light years to fly through!

SKYSAFARI Sky Safari allows users to explore the wonders of the night sky from their own screen. Simply download the free app, open it and hold your smartphone up towards the sky.

When pointed up toward the sky, you will be able to see labeled constellations and planets clearly. Sky Safari has a variety of viewing options – choose what parts of our galaxy you want to learn about most!

Even if the sky is smoky or stormy, you’ll still be able to navigate the galaxy with ease!

PRESERVE THE WONDERS OF THE NIGHT SKY You have learned about the constellations and explored the universe - now it’s time to show your friends and family just how awesome stargazing is. What better way to illustrate the limitless universe than a photo? Here are some tips and tricks on how to master night sky photography!

First, don’t fret if your family is without a fancy camera you can capture night sky photos with an iPhone! To take pictures of the night sky on your iPhone, adjust the exposure on the native camera app by first focusing your camera by tapping on the subject; then, immediately swipe down to adjust the exposure with the sunshine icon.

Once you’ve got a stellar photo of the beautiful night sky (shot in our National Forests, of course), share it on Instagram or Facebook for all your friends and loved ones to see! They won’t be able to resist joining you for your next tour of the galaxy!

Beyond Shooting Stars

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HOST A STAR PARTY Activity Feature What better way to engage your friends on this intergalactic quest than to throw (or attend) a star party? Star parties are held around the world to gather interested individuals of all ages together to stargaze, experience solar events, and celebrate and learn about astronomy.

If you’re not the party-planning type, contact your local astronomical society for a list of their events and star parties. It’s likely you can get involved during major solar events like meteor showers or eclipses!

What You'll Need Telescopes

Perhaps your family has access to a telescope already, but if not - you can still have an awesome star party!

Make your own telescopes using a couple household items - it’s a great activity to complete while waiting for dusk.

Bonus: if you are in contact with your local astronomical society chapter, you may be able to invite local astronomers to join the party and bring along their telescopes!

Snacks

Because who doesn’t love snacks? Get some awesome solar-themed ideas from this Moon Munchies article.

Smartphones

Pick a Date

Download the Star Safari and NASA apps for information and the location of constellations, planets, and the International Space Station.

It’s important that the sky is mostly clear for stargazing - free of smog, smoke, or storms. Try to pick a date that you think will have the clearest skies in your region. Wintertime can be great for clear skies - if your party-goers can take the cooler weather. Be sure to check out NASA’s Sky Events Calendar (SkyCal) to learn about solar events that would be interesting to watch during your star party.

Find a Place

To ensure maximum clarity, be sure to choose a venue with dark skies - free from excessive light pollution. Our National Forests and Grasslands are the perfect place to stargaze - most include areas free of urban light pollution. Plus, there are plenty of places with wide open fields, pavilions and picnic areas perfect for hosting a group of stargazers. Be sure to contact your local forest service ranger station for more info, recommendations, and any current restrictions before finalizing. You’ll also want to pick an area that is free of visual obstruction - trees and structures can block awesome views of the night sky.

Invite Your Guests

Invite your friends and family to attend the star party - anyone who is interested in stargazing should attend! Consider making a Facebook event online so that guests can have the location, date, and information at a click of a button!

Have a blast exploring the night sky with your family and friends!

Beyond Shooting Stars

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Walk on the Wild Side Discovering Fauna and Flora on our National Forests and Grasslands There is nothing more gratifying than understanding the living things that surround you. People of all ages will have fun becoming a naturalist! From birds flying high in the sky to the leaves on the ground, using modern day technology to learn more about the plants and animals around you will ensure a wild day!

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FAUNA AND FLORA ON YOUR PHONE

INATURALIST Identify species of plants and animals, record them on your smartphone and connect with other naturalists all on one app. With iNaturalist, users have identified over 90,000 different species worldwide in 2017 alone.

The app allows users to take and view photos of wildlife, verify identifications with scientists and naturalists around the world, and maintain a collection of sightings. Use iNaturalist as a social network and make a group with your friends - or join an existing group. Make it a competition to see who can identify the most wildlife!

AUDUBON BIRD GUIDE

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: FORAGING ON OUR FORESTS Did you know that you can forage in our National Forests?

There are many edible plants just waiting to be discovered from huckleberries to wild mushrooms!

Traditional bird watching is so last year; birdwatching with your smartphone is all the craze now. From viewing photos to hearing bird calls at a click of a button, it’s easier than ever to ID a bird and learn more about the species!

NATIONAL FOREST EXPLORER This smartphone app, created by the U.S. Forest Service, connects users to National Forests and Grasslands around the country. The app allows users to discover natural and cultural points of interest and learn about our public lands.

Walk on the Wild Side

In many cases, you do not need a permit to pick wild, edible plants on our National Forests, making it a fun and inexpensive activity for the entire family. There are many online resources to explore on identifying, eating and cooking forest delicacies. So get in touch with your wild side and try some primitive snacks.

However, as a safety measure, please be wary of eating unknown plants and always be sure to research before you feast. Toxic plants and fungi can be dangerous when ingested. Some poisonous plants are almost identical to edible lookalikes. If you are unsure if the plant or fungi is edible, stay on the safe side and do not ingest.

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Five Wild Edible Plants for Beginning Foragers Chicken of the Woods

Chicken of the woods is a common forest fungi found in spring, summer or autumn growing on dead or dying deciduous trees most commonly found in the Eastern US, though geographic range includes all of North America. Learn more about how to forage, cook and enjoy this porous delicacy!

Wild Berries and Grapes

Including huckleberry, blueberry, blackberry, or wild grape: these wild fruits are oftentimes easy to identify because they look similar to their cultivated counterparts. Look for them during mid to late summer depending on location and elevation. Not all wild berries are edible, some are poisonous, so be sure to correctly identify berries before eating. Check out our blog post, Eight Juicy Questions About Huckleberries to learn more about these treasured berries.

Wild Asparagus

Harvested in late spring, wild asparagus is often found in ditches, rural roadsides, fields and wooded areas throughout the United States. Here are some tips on how to forage for wild asparagus.

Dandelions

You’ve probably picked a few of these from your yard - but did you know they’re edible? This versatile, weedy plant can be found throughout the United States. Both the flower and the leaves are edible. Find out how to eat your weeds and get to picking!

Wood Sorrel

This lemony-flavored, -leafy plant can be found in abundance across the United States and has no toxic look-a-likes. Toss the vitamin Crich, heart-shaped leaves in a salad or eat it right on the trail! Enjoy wood sorrel April through September to indulge in a sour snack. Find out how to identify wood sorrel.

Walk on the Wild Side

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TASTE THE FOREST

Activity Feature

Become a master forager and share your best wild recipes with your friends, all while exploring our National Forests. During this activity, you will be able to research edible plants in your region, learn more about the forest ecosystem, and eat delicious wild delicacies. Don’t forget to share your foraging and cooking expertise with your friends using a vlog, social media or blog online!

For Your Safety

Do not consume any plant or fungi that you cannot 100% identify. There are toxic and poisonous wildlife throughout our National Forests; thus, you should never eat something that you cannot identify as edible and non-toxic. If you are not certain that a plant is in fact edible, take a photo and some notes and ask an experienced forager or naturalist later.

Research regional edible flora.

The list on the last page is a great place to start with if you are unsure. Be sure to take extensive notes to refer back to later. Here are a couple questions you should be able to answer through online research: What wild, edible plant or fungi will you be foraging?

How will you identify it?

Where can you find it? Where does it typically grow?

How should you collect the plant or fungi? (i.e. cut at stem, collect fruit, etc.)

When is it in season?

Be prepared and get out into the forest.

Some National Forests may require a permit and foraging for a particular plant may be restricted in certain areas of the forest. Always be sure to check in with a local Forest Service ranger station before heading out to the woods.

Be sure to bring with you a container, a knife or scissors to cut the plant (if applicable), and clothing appropriate for venturing through the forest. Take lots of photos, videos or notes along the way to document your adventure.

Use the iNaturalist smartphone app to identify wildlife as you forage. Never consume any plant, fruit or fungi that you cannot positively identify. If possible, bring someone along with foraging or naturalist experience. If that is not possible, be sure to consult guidebooks or internet resources.

Walk on the Wild Side

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TASTE THE FOREST

Activity Feature

Get in the kitchen and cook.

Looking for a recipe? Research recipes on the internet - there are so many great recipe guides online that include wild edible plants and fungi! Try Martha Stewart’s Cooking with Foraged Foods guide! If not those, research your own and let us know what you find!

Document the cooking process with photos, videos, notes - you’ll want to be sure to remember the foraging and cooking experience, so you can return to it year after year when your favorite wild edible plant is in season! As a bonus, pictures and videos of this activity will enable you to share your experience online and encourage others to get outside and taste the forest too. Finally, taste test your creation and share with your friends, family and loved ones!

Eat a small amount of the food at first to ensure that it settles in your stomach.

In most cases, if you did your research then the food should be absolutely harmless and delicious. In rare cases, unknown food allergies may exist.

Walk on the Wild Side

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Creativity Grows on Trees Let our National Forests inspire creativity.

Are you the artsy type? We have just the place for you! The forest remains one of the most colorful, interesting, and enchanting places to begin your creative process.

Outdoor experiences encourage storytelling and imagination and our National Forests have inspired millions.

Creativity Grows on Trees

Whether you like to write, draw, paint, or create: tell your story.

With the growth of online resources and platforms, there are so many opportunities to flex your creativity for the world to see! Draw inspiration from your outdoor adventures and get to creating your next masterpiece.

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THREE WAYS TO USE CREATIVITY ON PUBLIC LANDS

WRITING From online blog posts to more traditional poems and essays, document the allure of our National Forests with words.

Tell a story, write about a specific moment or just journal your random thoughts about nature - your writing may just inspire our world! Not sure where to start? Use one of these nature writing prompts to start thinking and writing creatively! If you are interested in writing poetry about your outdoor experiences, check out this awesome Haiku app to get started.

PHOTOGRAPHY Our National Forests are already beautiful, but a photographer's eye will find most delicate and exciting nature moments to capture. Today, most people have access to a camera of some kind - even a smartphone can capture beautiful photos. And with Instagram, Flickr, and other online platforms, you can easily share your stunning nature photography with the world. Check out these easy tips to improve your nature photography! Want to take your photography one step further?

Create an online photography portfolio on Flickr!

NATURE CRAFTS Let your artistic self soar through the forest! There are plenty of craft ideas to keep the whole family engaged. From botanical watercolor prints to yarn photo mobiles, the internet is filled with lovely ideas. Take advantage of dead wood and leaves on the ground to produce unique and irreplaceable art! Pinterest is a great place to find inspiration for your own project.

Creativity Grows on Trees

SHARE YOUR OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES WITH THE WORLD: VLOGS In the past decade, vlogs, short for video-blogs, have taken the internet by storm! There are vlogs about almost every experience - from eating a donut to jumping off cliffs!

Vlogs are unique because they provide a video platform for ordinary people to tell the world about their extraordinary experiences. It’s a way to tell stories, share passions and connect with the world. In the outdoor sphere, there are vlogs about camping, hiking, fishing, mountain-biking and more. The possibilities are endless!

Vlogs are also relatively easy to produce. All you need is a video camera (or smartphone), a story or topic, and a willingness to be on camera! Minimal editing and equipment is needed to successfully produce a vlog, so it’s perfect for the beginning videographer. Vlogs can be an individual activity or produced as a group or family. Vlogs can be funny, serious, educational, or just about a personal experience.

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FILM THE OUTDOORS

Activity Feature

What You'll Need Smartphone or Video Camera You will need something to film your vlog with. Be sure to give your camera a test run before heading out to the forest.

Necessary Gear Always be sure to wear and bring along the appropriate apparel and gear for your forest excursion.

Safety comes first! Protective clothing, maps, a full water bottle and snacks are always a good idea!

Plan Your Adventure.

Find a Place to Film

Our National Forests and Grasslands are the perfect places to adventure. Find a forest near you and research what types of recreational activities are offered. Have a favorite trail, forest or river already?

Perfect!

Choose the Outdoor Activity

Vlogs are best when you’re describing an activity, story, or interesting experience. Perhaps you should vlog about trying a new outdoor activity or trail. If you have never been hiking, cross country skiing, camping or bird watching - this is your perfect opportunity to try it! You can also check with your local U.S. Forest Service office to find out what activities are offered nearby.

Get Outside and Share Your Experience Online!

Film Your National Forest Adventure

For the most engaging vlog, be sure to film both yourself and the scenery around you! Your vlog should tell a story - with a beginning, middle and end. Additionally, you'll want to describe the setting of the video: if you're in a forest - talk about the forest! It's oftentimes helpful to bring along a friend to film and engage with.

Upload Your Video and Share With Your Friends!

Upload your video online. Use video editing applications on your computer or smartphone to edit the film as needed. Then, share with friends via email or social media. Youtube, Facebook and Instagram are great places to share your vlog. Chances are, your friends and family will be inspired to get outside after seeing your experience online!

Creativity Grows on Trees

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Your World. Your Impact.

Your Responsibility Stewarding our National Forests While venturing outdoors, it is important to be mindful of our impact on these special places. You may be familiar with the Leave No Trace principles: plan ahead and prepare; travel and camp on durable surfaces; dispose of waste properly; leave what you find; minimize campfire impacts; respect wildlife; and be considerate of other visitors. These guidelines are crucial when enjoying our public lands.

But did you know there is another Leave No Trace guideline? In 2018, the Center for Outdoor Ethics released social media guidance for adventuring outdoors. With an increase of people using our public lands to hike, bike, and adventure, there has also been an increase of these experiences being shared on social media…which is awesome, right? Not always.

When outdoor enthusiasts post about their experiences and share photos, they often geo-tag the location of their adventure – and occasionally, these viral photos on the internet can drastically increase usage of a specific trail or place on our public lands, having a negative impact on the ecosystem.

This activity guidebook is your tool to get outside while incorporating awesome electronic resources.

However, as you get out and participate in these activities, we encourage you to also think critically about how your use of technology and social media may impact our National Forests and Grasslands.

Please keep in mind these guidelines provided by the Center for Outdoor Ethics: Tag thoughtfully.

Give back to places you love.

Avoid geo-tagging specific locations.

Instead, tag a general location such as a state or region, if any at all. While tagging can seem innocent, it can lead to significant impact to particular places.

Invest your own sweat equity into the outdoor spaces and places you care about.

Learn about volunteer stewardship opportunities and get involved in the protection of our shared lands.

Be mindful of what your images portray.

Encourage and inspire Leave No Trace in social media posts.

Give some thought to what your images may encourage others to do.

Images that demonstrate good Leave No Trace practices and stewardship are always in style.

Given the millions of social media users in the world, think of the incredible potential that social media has to educate outdoor enthusiasts - first timers to seasoned adventurers - about enjoying our wild lands responsibly.

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