August NJC Destination: Northeast Sedgwick County Park

Northeast Sedgwick County Park, our August destination for Wichita Nature Journal Club, offers around 650 beautiful acres of grassland and wooded area. It’s a further drive than normal, but the fall wildflowers should be popping off.

Every other month, our nature journal club meets at the Kansas Wildlife Exhibit, so in September we’ll be back in riverside. All meetups are beginner friendly.

Saturday, August 22, 9:00 - 10:30am

Northeast Sedgwick County Park

7390 N 127th St E, Wichita, KS 67226

Meet at the park entrance, located at the intersection of 77th N. & 127th E.

What to expect from Northeast Sedgwick County Park:

• Accessibility: Mowed paths, no pavement, uneven terrain. Gravel parking lot with an ADA-compliant concrete parking pad.

• Restroom Access: No restroom access nearby.

• Seating: No benches or seating. Consider bringing a portable chair or stool.

• Tick Protection: I spent an hour out there last week and didn’t pick up any, but ‘tis the season! Please protect yourself from ticks.

• Sun Protection: Shade is limited in this beautiful prairie

  

What to expect socially:

1. Bring your own journal and writing instrument(s).

2. You’re welcome to drop in late or leave early.

3. Meetups begin and end as a group, but most of the time will be dedicated to journaling on your own. We will come together at the end to share our pages.

Everyone is welcome, but please make sure all children have an adult with them.

Rachel Roth will be the group leader. Reach out with any questions: rachel@grasslandgroupies.org

To nature journal, you document your observations, questions, and connections on the pages of a notebook with words, pictures, and numbers. That’s it!

You don’t need anything special to nature journal. At minimum, have a notebook, something to write with, and a keen eye. Wild Wonder Foundation has fantastic examples and resources for nature journaling on their site.

If it’s your first time joining us, here’s what you need to know:

1. Meetups begin and end as a group, but most of the time will be dedicated to journaling on your own.

2. Your comfort is important. Dress for the weather, wear good walking shoes, and bring a chair or stool if you like.

3. Follow your artistic whims. Write prose or poetry, scribble diagrams, paint a detailed landscape, or try making a sound map. Anything goes.

4. Artistic skill does not matter. The goal is to let ourselves observe and document.

In other (very exciting!!) news, Wichita Nature Journal Club is one of the 2026 Wild Wonder Micro Grant Fellows! Our cohort of Micro Grant Fellows spans 13 countries in 5 continents worldwide, and it’s so exciting to see our little Kansas club represented on that map.

There are precious few nature journaling clubs in the entire great plains region, so this island of nature journaling joy we’re building is kind of a big deal!!

The Sprout Club Micro Grant funding will be used to grow our existing nature journal club, and all of the funds will be used for club materials and free workshops this winter. (Stay tuned for more on that!)

Meet the 2026 Wild Wonder Fellows

If you can’t vote on that poll feel free to email/text me your thoughts. We WILL be expanding to different days of the week for bonus field trips. I’ve heard several of you asking for Sundays: message received.

PS: It’s officially ICT Bee Fest Season (September 5!!), so thank you for being patient with me as I get our fall/winter nature journaling events squared away. :) Lots to do!!

Last but not least, if you haven’t seen it yet, I’ve updated the calendar on our website! This should make copying events to your calendar a bit easier, plus it’s WAY more user friendly.

Sorry that I missed you guys last week, but Heath showed me the group photo at the KS Wildlife Exhibit and it absolutely made my weekend. It was unbearably hot (I, too, was sweating outside all morning), but so many people showed up to journal anyway.

I love this community.

Til next time!

~ Rachel Roth