Don’t know what to do with the invasive plants in your backyard? You can make paper! Making paper may seem like a foreign idea. You probably use paper every day, but likely haven’t made it from scratch. Making paper from materials in your backyard is easier than you think.  Learning about invasives plants is also a great way to be an environmental steward. We can also create awareness of…

*to learn about the history of the Monthly Climate Action Vigil, started by Little River Community School high school student Alex Calk with support from North Country 350 Alliance, read Alex’s October 3rd, 2019 ‘In the Schools’ blog post.   I'm currently a senior at Little River Community School in Canton and since last March I've been helping to organize the Monthly Climate Action Vigil.  On…

Once a month, a group of people stand on the corner of the local park, a handmade sign reading “Monthly Climate Action Vigil, Join Us!” erected behind them. People as young as 12 and as old as 86 hold signs or flags protesting the climate crisis. Some give speeches, some lead chants. Others interact with people walking down the street, encouraging them to get involved in climate action. But our…

Whether you're paddling on the Grasse River, visiting one of our countless waterfalls, or picking up fresh veggies at a farmer's market, summer is one of the best times to be in the North Country. This summer, the four college students interning with Nature Up North got to experience that firsthand. For almost 9 weeks this summer, our team more than quadrupled as Val, Grace, Lydia and Emily…

The two cats at my place have endured life-threatening traumas such as falls, fights, and the compulsory “devotions” of small children. It’s amazing the hazards they can survive. Sadly, my contacts in the veterinary field continue to assert that cats have but a single life, and that the whole nine-lives thing is just a cat tale. However, the story about cattails having at least nine lives is no…

The Canadian goose population began to decline in the 1970s due to increased harvesting. However, long-term efforts from our dedicated local Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) are successfully reversing the decline. In late June each year, the DEC invites community members of all ages to help with the sexing, tagging, and of course, wrangling of Canadian geese at several Wildlife…

Perhaps due to their iconic shells, great longevity, and slow movements, turtles form an assemblage of about 320 species that are instantly recognized and often loved, by nearly everyone.  However, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, turtles as a group are declining worldwide, faster than nearly every other vertebrate group.  Threats include widespread habitat…

As many anglers know, trees and trout are closely related. Not in a family sense, of course. And not like the way in which tomatoes and fish were briefly married in a 1996 experiment at Oakland, California-based DNA Plant Technology in an attempt to get a frost-tolerant tomato (or possibly a saucy fish). If it weren’t for tree cover, cold-water fish species would not survive in most of the…

It's midsummer, and that means it's time for our annual call for submissions for the Nature Up North 2020 Calendar! Over the years, members of the community have shared thousands of photos, observations, and stories with us online at www.natureupnorth.org/encounters.  Each year in September, we select our favorite photos from the previous 12 months to highlight in our annual Nature Up North…

This workshop has passed. To learn about upcoming workshops or to inquire about working with Nature Up North as an educator, please contact us at info@natureupnorth.org. Visit www.natureupnorth.org/educator-resources to explore our teacher resources.   Are you a St. Lawrence County teacher interested in incorporating more nature-based learning into your lessons? Do you want to increase…