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 - news, updates and insights
The Secret World of Fireflies
By Kayla Edmunds on July 23, 2020
If you look outside on a warm North Country summer night, you’re likely to see tiny blinking lights floating through the sky, disappearing and then reappearing a few feet away. These fireflies (Lampyridae) are not made of fire nor are they flies! They’re actually a member of the beetle order, Coleoptera, the largest known order of organisms in the world with over 350,000 beetle species described…
Blog category: Just Our Nature
Virtual Nature Coloring Book
By Valeria Maldonado Ortiz on July 14, 2020
Nature Up North presents a virtual nature coloring book! This coloring book features different animals and plants that you can find in the North Country. It includes fun facts about each species, tree identification, and more. Post and tag us in your finished coloring book pages on social media and use the hashtag #colorwithnun. Stay tuned for more coloring pages coming soon!
Blog category: Just Our Nature
Herb Gardening for Beginners
By Valeria Maldonado Ortiz on July 5, 2020
Are you interested in building a small garden at home, but don’t know how to start? Or are you simply looking for a new hobby during quarantine? Keep reading to learn how to get started and the benefits of having a herb garden at your disposal. These herbs are ideal for beginners because they’re easy to grow and take care of!
Find a home for your herbs
You can start your herb garden by placing…
Blog category: Just Our Nature
A Beginner's Guide to Summer Stargazing
By Alyssa Watson on June 30, 2020
As we approach the three-month mark of quarantining at home with our families and loved ones, it is more important than ever to get into nature in creative ways. If you’re working from home with little ones running around, a college student looking for a creative outlet, or simply looking to expand your own horizons, follow our guide to explore the summer night sky.
In the North Country, hiking…
Blog category: Just Our Nature
Nature Up North Photo Contest for 2021 Calendar
By Madison O'Shea on June 30, 2020
July 1st, 2020 to August 9th, 2020
Calling all North Country nature photographers!
Got your camera at the ready? Nature Up North is once again hosting our annual calendar contest for nature photos that will be featured in our 2021 wall calendar. At Nature Up North we hope to inspire exploration and appreciation of the North Country environment. One way we do this is through the Encounters feature…
Blog category: Just Our Nature
Ask A Fairy: Spring 2020 Answers
By Thimble & Blossom on June 16, 2020
Thank you for visiting the fairies this spring! You had some really great questions and Thimble and Blossom had so much fun answering them. It was especially nice to stay connected while we were apart. The fairies are already up in Canada where they'll be spending the summer, but are excited to come back next fall!
Keep reading below to find Thimble’s and Blossom’s answer(s) to your question(s).…
Blog category: Ask a Fairy
"Love Your Mother" Bingo
By Madison O'Shea on May 15, 2020
May 15, 2020 - May 22nd, 2020
Join us for a game of "Love Your Mother" bingo! We've created a virtual bingo game that you can participate in over the next week by completing a variety of outdoor, hands-on and on-line activities all while social distancing.
How to Play:
1. Download the bingo card attached below to choose the activities you would like to participate in to complete a row or column…
Blog category: Just Our Nature
The fairies are back for spring 2020!
By Thimble & Blossom on May 5, 2020
Come visit our fairy homes! Each spring we migrate through the North Country on our way home for the summer. We live in the woods, where we spend our days bonding with birds, talking with trees, buzzing with bugs, and getting friendly with fungi. As you might guess, we've become expert naturalists. At any time between now and May 26th, find our homes using the clues below. This year, to help us…
Blog category: Ask a Fairy
Easy Bird Feeder Designs You Can Make at Home
By Kathryn Jepson on April 27, 2020
While being stuck at home during Earth Week isn’t ideal, there are still many ways you can make a difference and celebrate from home! One great way to benefit your local ecosystem is by making bird feeders. Below are two different ways you can easily make a bird feeder for your yard, depending on what materials you have available. Enjoy!
Wooden Open-Side Birdhouse Feeder
For this project,…
Blog category: Just Our Nature