Walking in the woods is always a lot of fun. Observing nature in such an environment presents a myriad of potential subjects to view, examine, photograph and to enjoy. The biodiversity in the mature hardwood pine community where I walk is tremendous. There are so many possibilities whether your purpose is to observe species interaction in the community or to measure the biomass of the forest or to observe the species diversity of the bird population or just to enjoy your stroll and see how many interesting subjects you can find for your camera. The forest presents a wealth of opportunities for your study or enjoyment.
It is to the woods that I often head when I am wanting to get close and enjoy nature or as we old hippies used to say "commune with nature". Isn't that a cool phrase? "Commune with nature". What does that really mean?
To commune with nature, you become one with nature and attain knowledge of the things about you. In particular you gain knowledge of the terrain, bodies of water, the plants, animal populations, people, weather and the general state of the setting. It is not necessarily a conscious effort. When you enjoy nature and are in the woods it is what comes naturally as you walk through the woods. There are many different levels of that, of course. You may start with just a nice walk and make some natural observations: flowers, birds, scenic views and the like. The more you go, the more you observe and slowly the community comes alive. No pun intended.
