Blogging

Nature Blog Carnivals

January 15, 2008 by Mike 3 Comments

‘Twas the great Oscar Wilde (not that rogue Oscar Wildlife) who opined, “But what is the difference between literature and journalism? …Journalism is unreadable and literature is not read. That is all.” One wonders what scathing indictment Wilde would have levied on blogs. And yet I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling extremely privileged to live at this moment in history, not only a consumer of the fruits of micropublishing but also a producer. That’s why I’m such a fan of blog carnivals.

My very public passion for blog carnivals has only increased over time. The spark ignited by participating in Tangled Bank #1, a cherished memory even today, still burns so intensely that I try to keep 10,000 Birds involved in all the relevant carnivals. Hell, I love blog carnivals so much I even started one, a mighty fine one at that!

What’s so great about blog carnivals? How about everything that’s great about blogs, increased exponentially. Blogs, like berries, are best enjoyed in bunches. A well-edited, well-attended topical blog carnival can possess the distilled potency of a top-shelf magazine that’s had the annoying ads and filler wrung out of it. Blog carnivals can create communities, add depth to niches, and put individual bloggers on the proverbial map. Plus, that price just can’t be beat.

Nature bloggers are fortunate to enjoy a diversity of different, only slightly overlapping blog carnivals. My favorite is, of course, I and the Bird, the blog carnival devoted to birding and wild birds. But I’ve got a lot of love for the following nature blog carnivals:

If you’re a fan of exceptional web writing on issues relating to nature, science, and environmental issues, you’re certain to find much to love amidst the carnivals listed above. If there are nature blog carnivals I’ve left out, please let me know as I’d like this resource to be as complete as possible. Also, if you’re planning on hosting one or more of these fine carnivals, I’ve written a few words on that topic as well…

Written by Mike
Mike is a leading authority in the field of standardized test preparation, but he's also a traveler who fully expects to see every bird in the world. Besides founding 10,000 Birds in 2003, Mike has also created a number of other entertaining but now extirpated nature blog resources, particularly the Nature Blog Network and I and the Bird.