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
Ice Trees
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureThe willows are weeping, but then so is every other flavor of tree in northern New York right now. The storm that hit the northeast on President’s Day brought significant ice to New York state’s northern tier, ice which has persisted for nearly a week now. If your birches are bent, spruces sagging or crabapples crooked, don’t let the ice get you down as well. As long as we don’t get a heavy snow…
Clifton-Fine Adirondack Winter Whiteout Weekend 2016
By Justin Dalaba on
Blog: Just Our Nature
Sub-zero temperatures and the first blizzard snowstorm of 2016 greeted the Adirondack Whiteout Weekend in Clifton and Fine, which kicked off on Friday, February 12th. Several of the outdoor events were cancelled or rescheduled due to the extreme cold, but that didn’t seem to stop attendees from making the best of their day. The planned events stretch from Cranberry Lake to Star Lake, drawing in…
The St. Lawrence County Whitewater Park Proposal: 7 Things to Know
By Jacob Malcomb on
Blog: Just Our Nature
Whitewater parks could one day make a splash in St. Lawrence County, according to a recently released report on the St. Lawrence County Whitewater Park Project. At a public meeting on February 9th in Canton, Scott Shipley of Colorado’s S2o Design and Engineering presented the results of a study examining the feasibility, and economic impacts, of a proposed network of whitewater parks in Canton…
The Secret Lives of Bees in Winter
By Samantha Haab on
Blog: Just Our Nature
The winter weather may have taken its time getting here this year, but I think we can agree that the North Country has once again been transformed into the icy, frigid landscape we have come to know and love (or at the very least, tolerate begrudgingly).
With snow covering the ground, ice coating our walkways, and Jack Frost nipping at our noses, agricultural pollinators are probably the last…
Maples in Peril
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our Nature
Remember that kid at school who was good at everything? Smart, athletic, popular, usually in a higher income bracket—seems like there was one in every class who must have taken more than their fair share when luck was handed out. And didn’t you find them annoying some days?
I imagine that’s how the rest of the forest community feels about sugar maple, Acer saccharum. Also known as hard maple,…
A Winter With Everything
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our Nature
“Make me one with everything.” If you had to guess, you’d probably say that was either a request to a short-order cook at a diner, or else a supplication to the Divine. This winter, I think someone whispered that line in Mother Nature’s ear, because even though it is not yet half over, she has already made us a winter with everything. It’s as if she glanced at her weather playlist and hit the…
Moody Weather Tricks Local Species
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureThis winter took a long time to wise up. Snow lovers lamented, but I was among those who enjoyed the break from snow shoveling and firewood hauling during our pseudo-September. However, I noticed some less positive effects of the tropical weather. For one thing, the buds on my currant bushes decided it must be spring and began to open. Coltsfoot, dandelions, and Johnny-jump-ups bloomed. Buds on…
Porcupine Trails
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureWhat fearless animal has an adorable face, plows snow all winter and has a six-million acre park named after it?
One of 29 species worldwide, the North American porcupine is the largest New World species, growing to 36 inches long and weighing as much as 35 pounds. That makes it the second-largest North American rodent (behind the beaver), but still only half the size of an African crested…
Late Season Tick PSA
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureIn northern New York State, autumn temperatures have been between seven and eight degrees above average, allowing us even more time to procrastinate fall chores. This has been welcome to those who have to work outside, and anyone concerned about their heating bill is loving the warm weather too. Obviously, skiers and other winter enthusiasts aren’t happy, but I think the rest of us should get…
Natural Holiday Decorations
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureNot that long ago the winter holiday season started after Thanksgiving, but it seems like every year it inches closer to the middle of the calendar. Now Santa just barges in the day after Halloween, presumably to take advantage of half-price candy, but still it seems a bit rude. I blame the insidious “holiday creep” (not to be confused with the Grinch) on global warming. Or maybe it’s…
