What's Your Nature?
Become a Nature Up North explorer to share your encounters with wild things and wild places in New York's North Country. Post your wildlife sightings, landscape shots, photos from your outings, and even your organization's events!
Just Our Nature Posts
Thanksgiving History and Indigenous Culture in the North Country
By Aurora Hager on
Blog: Just Our NatureIt’s Thanksgiving week! Tis’ the season of fall leaves crunching as we step on them, the smell of warm apple cider on the stovetop and fresh baked pumpkin and apple pies using grandma's secret recipes. An array of food on the dining table every fourth Thursday in November is also a time to be thankful for everyone in your life, surrounded by family and friends. Each house has their own traditions…
Crows: Bad News or World’s Best Puzzle Solver?
By Abigail Lateer on
Blog: Just Our NatureWe’ve all heard their croaking song, seen their black bodies circling, and heard the folklore and myths. It’s no wonder why people assume crows are bad news--a group of them is even called a murder. Sounds scary, right? These birds are often labelled as pests and nuisances, and it’s a commonly held belief that they’re detrimental to gardens and linked to disease. But what people aren’t usually…
Fall Foliage Fun!
By Peter DiNinno on
Blog: Just Our Nature If you have been enjoying all the North Country outdoors have to offer the last few weeks, you have probably noticed trees bursting out in their beautiful red, yellow, and orange fall colors. The change in the color of leaves is caused by the breakdown of chlorophyll, the pigment responsible for photosynthesis, as the tree gets ready for winter. As the green chlorophyll leaves the leaf…
Hiking Tips and Tricks
By Aurora Hager on
Blog: Just Our NatureHello fellow adventurers! The North Country and the Adirondack region is full of hiking opportunities and mountainous beauty. You're certain to find beautiful and unique views on shorter hikes such as Mount Arab or Azure, mid-level mountains like Ampersand and Scarface, and all the way up to the most difficult, like Iroquois or Allen. Before jumping right into these hikes, it is important to note…
The Invisible Songbird Serial Killer
By Langley C Sieve on
Blog: Just Our NatureWe have officially reached the season many of us living in the North Country spend all year looking forward to: fall! This is the time of year that we all start to watch a variety of red, orange, and yellow leaves fly from tree branches and chevron after chevron of Canada geese flap their way south. The geese, honking from up above, call attention to themselves, piquing our interest and forcing…
Happy Animals
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureDescribing happiness attracts animals: Apparently, we can have a whale of a time, be as pleased as a pig in a peach orchard, or feel as happy as a pup with two tails, a monkey with a peanut machine, and a clam at high tide. Given all this, it’s natural to wonder if non-human animals can feel happy.
Many biologists caution against ascribing human-like emotions to animals. This is a hilarious…
Share your opinions about renewable energy and biodiversity in the North Country
By Kayla Edmunds on
Blog: Just Our NatureOur names are Cole Weigartz and Kayla Edmunds, and we are undergraduate students enrolled in the Conservation Biology class at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. We are working under the direction of Dr. Erika Barthelmess, a faculty member at St. Lawrence University. We are conducting research for a case study on the trade-off between green energy infrastructure and wildlife conservation in…
Share your opinions about outdoor recreation in the North Country
By Erika Barthelmess on
Blog: Just Our NatureOur names are Aliya Brown, Ryan Heuss and Kendrew Van Gorder, and we are undergraduate students at St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY. We are working under the direction of Dr. Erika Barthelmess, a faculty member at St. Lawrence University. We are conducting research as part of a case study project for our Conservation Biology class. Our case study is focused on the A2A trail, a proposed…
February Frolic - Snow Sculpting!
By Kayla Edmunds on
Blog: Just Our NatureOne of my favorite snowy day activities is building snow sculptures, whether that be the classic snow family or something a bit more outside of the box. And with all this fresh snow from our most recent winter storm, now is the perfect time! Matthew Morris, of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, has taken the snow sculpting game up a notch. See his most recent sculpture, a rendition of the Tower of Pisa,…
February Frolic - Who’s Frolicking With You?
By Kayla Edmunds on
Blog: Just Our Nature
If you’ve been getting outside and frolicking this February, you may have noticed some signs left in the snow that you aren’t alone! This gallery features some tracks found by other North Country explorers, as well as resources to help you identify what you're frolicking with! And remember, no matter what you spot, be sure to share it with us via our Encounters page (https://www.natureupnorth.…
