Wild Wonder Foundation 2023 Annual Report

Dear Friends,

As we look back on our fledgling year, I am filled with gratitude for the hundreds of people who came together to support this new foundation. Together, we built community, pathways, projects, and events that encourage nature connection and conservation through attention, curiosity, art, science, and community. Plus, we shared a lot of joy and fun!

My working definition of love is sustained, compassionate attention. When you pay attention to another, it changes your relationship with them, and it also changes you. That attention is also what forms and sustains our relationship with the natural world. Your attention is one of the greatest gifts that you can give to the world. I am deeply grateful for the attention you have given to nature, nature journaling, and this new foundation.

As we celebrate this past year and look ahead to inspiring plans for 2024 and beyond, your support is the wind under our wings. We are so grateful to you for investing in this important work. If you’d like to make a donation to support our work, you can do so here.

Thanks for being part of the global nature journaling community!

John Muir Laws

Founding President

PS Many thanks to Kate Rutter for bringing our annual report numbers to life in the illustration above!

All numbers are as of 1/1/2024 unless otherwise noted.

COMMUNITY: A global circle of connection

OUTREACH: An atmosphere of growth

  • 14,425 copies of Your Quick Start Guide to Nature Journaling zine distributed and/or downloaded in 6 languages. Translations released in 2023 include: Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and Japanese. (Data based on Squarespace orders as well as free copies printed and distributed for all translations of the zine.)

  • 328 event scholarships to 2023 Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference, 2023 Wild Wonder Educator Workshop, and the Sierra Nevada Nature Journaling Retreat totaling $38,130 (Data based on retail ticket prices. Scholarships are by application.) PLUS 104 comp event tickets given to groups including  A Yellowstone Life, Bay Nature Magazine, California State Parks Team, California Regional Environmental Education Community Network, Davis Art Center Team, Educacao Classica Educator Team of Brazil, Hidden Villa, K’e Community Trails, Kundiman Team Midwest Environmental Education Conference, and many others totalling $12,220 (when calculated at retail ticket price) for a total for all comps and scholarships of $50,350.

  • 519 teachers trained as part of the 2023 Nature Journal Educators Workshop. (Data from sales of live and video passes.)

  • 44 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) earned by 18 educators through a new partnership with Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo. These CEUs were earned at the 2023 Nature Journal Educator Workshop and at the 2023 Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference.

  • 45 children at Amani Children’s Home, an orphanage in Tanzania, given nature journaling kits (purchased with funds raised by Wild Wonder in 2022), including a journal, bag, set of watercolor pencils, white colored pencil, waterbrush, non photo blue pencil, graphite pencil, pencil sharpener, goniometer, and wrist cuff. Children also received nature journaling classes (including in-person classes with John Muir Laws and 15 volunteers in February 2023 as well as 6+ hours of live online classes with John Muir Laws) and a field trip to their local national park with Amani staff, 45 children, 15 nature journaling volunteers, and John Muir Laws in February 2023. 

EVENTS: A thriving ecosystem

  • 15 Wild Wonder Foundation events in 2023, 11 of which were free. Our 2023 events included the fifth annual Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference (held online over 5 days with 30 classes and talks), the two-day online Wild Wonder Nature Journal Educator Workshop, four Learn to Draw online classes with John Muir Laws, a 5-day Wild Wonder Sierra Nevada Nature Journaling Retreat, and six San Francisco Bay Area regional nature journal field trips. 5,451 people participated in 2023 Wild Wonder events. (Data from Squarespace, Eventbrite, and records from in-person events). 

  • 55 paid roles for presenters with $32,475 paid to presenters. (Data based on teachers/speakers/presenters hired for all in-person and online events). 

SUPPORT: Fertile soil for germination

  • 104 dedicated volunteers that supported 2023 Wild Wonder programs including: the Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference, the Wild Wonder Nature Journal Educator Workshop, the Learn to Draw Series with John Muir Laws, the six San Francisco Bay Area regional nature journal field trips, the Sierra Nevada Nature Journaling Retreat, the Amani Tanzania outreach, and other projects (Data from event leaders and event records.) 

  • 664 volunteer hours (Data based on number of volunteers and tasks performed). 

  • 2,448 donations received for a total of $89,557. (These figures include donations made for free programs such as the Learn to Draw classes, donations made during Quick Start zine downloads, donations made as part of ticket purchases for Wild Wonder Nature Journaling Conference and the Educator Workshop, donations made during the Wild Wonder Online Auction, and donations from individuals and organizations made online, in person, and through charitable funds and matching funds.)