Montana Natural History Center

Online Field Notes Writing Workshop, 6-Part Class – Fall 2026
2026-12-08 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Denver) | Montana Natural History Center
Location: Virtual Classroom on Zoom
Dates: Tuesdays, November 3, 10, 17, 24, and December 1 & 8
Time: 10:00-11:30 a.m. Mountain Time (but plan for a two-hour class on November 24 & December 8)
Explore various forms of nature writing, then research and write your own Field Note during this online, workshop-based six-part class!
Instructors:
Allison De Jong, writer, naturalist, and editor of Montana Naturalist magazine and Field Notes on Montana Public Radio
Drew Lefebvre, naturalist, writer, and Program Director at MNHC
REGISTER HERE
In this six-part class, you’ll work with Field Notes editor Allison De Jong, naturalist Drew Lefebvre, and your fellow participants to research, write, and workshop your very own Field Note. We’ll read and discuss a wide variety of nature writing; brainstorm ideas; practice writing prompts; discuss tone, style, and research methods; and provide feedback for each other’s Field Notes. And you’ll have the opportunity to record your Field Note with Montana Public Radio sometime later this year, if interested. Many of the Field Notes aired since 2021 were written in previous workshops! (You can read and listen to them here.)
This class will be a delightful combination of natural history and creativity. You’ll get to explore a natural history topic of your choice, practice different writing techniques, get and give feedback on your and others’ writing in a small, supportive workshop setting, and finish the class with a lovely natural history essay that’s ready to be shared with the Montana Public Radio listening area (if you wish!).
Cost: $235 MNHC members, $255 non-members. You can add your MNHC membership to your order when you check out.
Optional class material: While all of the Field Notes we read in class are available online, you may want to purchase our Field Notes from the Montana Natural History Center book, a collection of 134 Field Notes as well as original artwork from dozens of naturalists from the program’s first 25 years. We promise it makes for excellent reading! You can purchase the book online here, or purchase in person at MNHC.
REGISTER FOR THE FIELD NOTES WORKSHOP HERE.
What participants are saying about this workshop:
“The course was very engaging. The encouragement, group support, community formed, and great instruction was profoundly rewarding. The reading and writing prompts were inspiring. There was a great integration of emotion, creativity, naturalist’s knowledge, scientific knowledge and shared experiences.”
~Cynthia Swidler, Spring 2020
“I loved this class. Learning to write field notes was way different than what I expected. Allison and Drew both really brought to life the importance of sharing personal experience and scientific information in story form. I learned so much about the writing process, how to refine pieces for reading aloud, and how to give a voice to the voiceless. I have much more confidence about writing field notes now, and many ideas!!”
~Marnie Craig, Spring 2020
“A complete and successful experience! Involving, stimulating. Great to experience the writing and expression abilities of the other writers. I was often amazed how the leaders and the other writers could analyze, dissect, and interpret our reading assignments and any topic of discussion. I loved the class. A learning and writing experience for sure, thank you!”
~Terry Habeger, Spring 2020
“Thank you, thank you, thank you. This class was extremely grounding in a period of big transition in my life, and it really bolstered my self-confidence to sit with a group of strangers every week and feel seen and heard. Knowing that I have the capacity to sit down and write words that make people feel excited to go outside is an incredible gift, and I am very grateful for this class for it.”
~Zola Kell, Fall 2021
“I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and the classroom community. Would recommend taking this class for anyone interested in creative science/nature writing, either for fun or as a career.”
~Kayla Heinze, Spring 2023
“It was all so rewarding! I loved crafting a piece that felt digestible to get me back into a writing routine. I loved our 10-minute writes. The [workshopping] session was really helpful as well as the detailed suggestions and feedback from both Allison and Drew. I loved the poetry and writing pieces we read and discussed in class. It was a great class!”
~Victoria Yee, Fall 2024
“I loved this group! Five stars (or all the stars in the night sky; whichever scale you are using)!!! Allison and Drew, you both are incredibly knowledgeable about field journaling and have deep subject matter expertise as naturalists. I was amazed at all the resources you shared on published works (audio or written). I am so new to this; I had no idea those sources existed! You both encouraged me and helped me do something way out of my comfort zone. Thank you for making this experience so rewarding.”
~Whitney Martin, Spring 2026
FAQs
What’s the refund policy?
The course fee (minus a 25% administrative fee) is refundable if a cancellation is made up to 7 days before the event. No refunds will be issued for cancellations made after this deadline. See our full refund/cancellation policy here.

Virtual Naturalist Book Club #1
2026-12-08 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-01-12 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-02-09 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-03-09 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-04-13 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-05-11 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-06-08 18:30 - 20:30, 2027-07-13 18:30 - 20:30 and 21 more dates | Virtual Zoom Classroom
Date: Monthly, on the second Tuesday of the month
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Location/Platform: Virtual Zoom Classroom
The only thing better than reading a fascinating natural history book (and there are so many of them!) is getting to discuss it with a wonderful group of like-minded people. We can help you do that! Join one of our free naturalist book clubs, where you can read and discuss a great new book each month, enjoying various perspectives and insights, all from the comfort of your own home. (Cozy pjs are perfectly acceptable attire.)
Your hosts are Master Naturalist Suzanne Hendrich and Deborah Drain.
You will need a computer that can access the internet and Zoom platform in order to participate.
There are some spaces available in this book club. Contact cmorris (at) montananaturalist.org to sign up.
Group is limited to 10 participants.
