I still have posts to update on this years Gaia/nature reading Challenge but since the challenge is continuing into 2023 and rather than leaving everything to the last minute, I thought I would post an initial sign-up page now. To participate just leave a comment below.

You don’t have to have a blog, but if you do blog, feel free to leave a link back to your blog and feel free to use the 2023 badge, (created in canva), or create one of your own, (would love to create a page of badges to share here on the blog, so feel free). You can also leave a link back to your Goodreads, Facebook, or Instagram account if those are the platforms you would like to record your reads on. This year’s badge features a polar Bear and a sun bear, the largest and smallest members of the bear family, (both species are on the IUCN red list), hopefully encouraging you to read from the frozen north to the steamy rainforest and everything in between.

Both sun bears and polar bears are facing on going and increasing threats from climate change and habitat destruction, as are so many other species, from hoverflies to rhinos. Part of the reason for the challenge is to increase knowledge and caring about our threatened environment while also creating a community of support for those of us who care. The choice of bears for the badge was inspired by Sarah Pye and her great books previously blogged about here. (Check out Sarah’s website she has a Christmas special on the Wildlife Wong series for budding young ecologists).

There are no strict rules to the challenge. Pledge to read as many or as few nature-themed books as you would like, just one qualifies for the challenge. The titles you choose can be either fiction or non-fiction they just have to have nature, climate or environment as an issue or theme. Share your reading via comments on Gumtrees and Galaxies, links are welcome and encouraged.

The challenge will officially start on the 1st of January 2023 and run until the 31st of December 2023. You can sign up now via the comments on this post. It is optional if you want to pledge to read particular titles but I would love to know what others are reading.

In 2023 I want to increase my engagement with diversity and try to read titles that incorporate the experience of as many diverse authors as possible or titles that address the issue of diversity in relation to the environment. My tentative initial list so far:

Eco fiction:

• Bewilderment by Richard Powers
• The Last Quarter Of The Moon by Zijian Chi, Bruce Humes (Translation)

Wildlife:

• Koala: A Natural History and an Uncertain Future by Danielle Clode

Environmental activism:

• The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet by Leah Thomas
• FIRE: A Message from the Edge of Climate Catastrophe by Margi Prideaux

There will be many more titles added, this is just my initial list, I will add an update with more titles before the start of 2023. Would love to have you join me on my nature reading adventure, just leave me a comment and let me know what you will be reading, happy to share links.