By: Steve Roark
Volunteer Interpreter, Cumberland National Historical Park

Life lists are written documentations of things seen and identified. If you’re a birder you keep a list of birds you’ve personally seen. If you’re a railroad enthusiast, you keep up with what trains companies you’ve seen going down the tracks. In England they even have clubs for airplane watchers. These folks gather up around airports and watch planes with binoculars, making security people very nervous. Listing is a hobby that makes your interests more interesting. Me, I keep lists of trees, wildflowers, birds, astronomical stuff, and animals of all kind. My favorite list is wildflowers, and I’m up to around 400.

A life list can include as much detail as you want. For wildflowers I just list them in the back pages of my guidebook, putting down the common name and the page number where the flower is described. On that page in the margin, I write down the date and location where I first found the flower. It’s simple and doesn’t’ require carrying around a notebook. Some identification guides include lists on the back pages with boxes you can simply check off as you find them. Notebook people usually at least put down the common and scientific name and the location seen.

Life listing is an inexpensive hobby to pick up, only requiring a good identification book and a pencil. Binoculars are handy for wildlife observations, and a hand lens is nice for wildflowers, but not necessary. As for identification guides, there is a book series call the Peterson Guides that have books on everything from insects to astronomy. Another good book series is the National Audubon Society Field Guides. My favorite book on trees is Trees and Shrubs of Kentucky (works well for TN and east VA also) by Roger Barbour

I tried “apps” on my smart phone for tree and wildflower identification and found them lacking. However, recognition software has made huge strides here of late, you might give them a try. As always, the better ones cost more.

Knowing more of your natural surroundings can make you more “in the moment”, where your mind is so focused on where you are and what you’re looking at that thoughts and worries that constantly bombard us all stop….at least for a little while. And all the experts agree that this is healthy. For me trying to figure out what something is my happy place, and maybe it could be for you as well. So, give it a try.