On Friday, December 6th, a group of people sang together in harmony in the Canton Park.  We were bundled up in coats, hats, and gloves as icy wind and snow swept through town. The lyrics, I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas, joined us for a singular purpose - climate activism. As cars sped by and people passed with children, we raised our voices in song. The goal of all 50 people present, old and…

Our next Monthly Climate Action Vigil is this Friday, December 6th, from 4-5 in Canton. It is cold, so wear warm clothes!  At our November vigil, we were joined by candidate for U.S. Congress, Tedra Cobb.  Tedra has since garnered national attention to her campaign and raised over 1 million dollars. Tedra also spoke on the SLU campus on November 13th to more than 50 students about the Climate…

Nature Up North calendars are on sale at local businesses through early 2020! These printed calendars feature our favorite photos shared by community members as Encounters on natureupnorth.org in the past year. Calendars also include Nature Notes highlighting seasonal wildlife behavior local to the North Country region. Proceeds from calendar sales benefit Nature Up North's community…

With just a quick walk around the Canton Farmers’ Market, you can see the wide variety of vendors that come each week. Each has their own unique experiences and stories as to how they got to the market. I interviewed a few of the vendors to see how they got started and to learn how the season went. After all, who better to learn from when it comes to the state of our environment? Grandpa’s…

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…