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!

Nature Up North

Community Celebration Campfire (Rescheduled)

Event date and time
May 5, 2023 - 6:30 PM to May 5, 2023 - 8:00 PM
Event description

Note that this event has been rescheduled from April 29th and is now happening at the same time (6:30 - 8:00pm) on Friday, May 5th!

7th Annual Earth Day 7k Trail Run/Walk

Event date and time
April 22, 2023 - 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Event description

Welcome back for another awesome trail race!

Nature Up North is excited to invite you to join us for the 7th Annual Earth Day 7K Trail Run & Walk on Saturday, April 22nd, 2023, at 9:00 am. One of the few annual trail races in the North Country, proceeds from this race benefit local conservation and environmental education initiatives. This race marks 10-years of Nature Up North’s work in the North Country, and is the kickoff to two weeks of special, 10-year celebration events. You don’t want to miss it!

5th Annual Winterfest Cardboard Sled Races!

Event date and time
February 4, 2023 - 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Event description

RESCHEDULED to SUNDAY, February 5th at the same time (10:00am - 1:00pm).

Wildlife Detector Dog Demo

Event date and time
October 11, 2022 - 7:00 PM to October 11, 2022 - 8:00 PM
Event description

The now-famous Newt the Wildlife Detecting Dog (see The Dodo's article: Professional Good Boy Won't Stop Until He's Sniffed Out Every Turtle In Need Of Help) is one of our favorite local celebrities and is here to show us how's it done. Newt's trainer, Dr. Kris Hoffman, and student handler, Julia Sirois will discuss their conservation goals, how Newt was trained, how he finds local endangered animals, and then Newt will give a demo of his skills!

Stargazing Campfire with Aileen O'Donoghue

Event date and time
October 21, 2022 - 6:30 PM to October 21, 2022 - 8:00 PM
Event description

Nature Up North is excited to invite you to a night of stargazing and astronomy at our fall Campfire with St. Lawrence University Physics Professor Aileen O'Donoghue! On this date the moon will be a waning crescent, just four days away from the new moon and a great time to see stars and planets. We’ll start around the campfire at 6:30 pm with a short discussion, followed by the opportunity to join Aileen in small groups at a telescope set up a short distance away. This event is free and open to the public, with s’mores provided. Bring your friends and family!

Mushroom Mayhem: Naturalist Walk with Claire Burkum

Event date and time
October 7, 2022 - 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Event description

Mushrooms evoke a wide range of images including fairies and gnomes, poison and decay, and even gourmet dinners for some! To begin to appreciate the numerous roles mushrooms play in ecosystems and human cultures, it is important to be able to find and identify them. In this beginner level walk on the SLU Kip Trail, Claire Burkum, a local mycologist with Burkum Plant Health and Tree Care will introduce us to a few features mycologists use to distinguish different groups of mushrooms.

Storytelling Campfire

Event date and time
August 4, 2022 - 7:00 PM to August 4, 2022 - 9:00 PM
Event description

In our last campfire event of the summer, we’ll be diving into an ages-old tradition for folks sitting around a fire: storytelling! Bring a tale to tell, a listening ear, and an appetite for s’mores. Don’t miss out on the conclusion to our funtastic summer series!

Connect with Creativity

Event date and time
July 30, 2022 - 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Event description

Connection to our North Country environment is important, and people connect to nature in very different ways. Some people like to be active, some people like to learn about the flora and fauna around us, and some people connect through being creative. This 1 and ½ to 2 hour program will explore different ways we can connect to the north country through creativity.

Moth Madness

Event date and time
July 23, 2022 - 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM
Event description

Join us at Wachtmeister Field Station on Saturday, July 23rd, 8:30-10:00pm, for a fun, educational mothing event! We’ll be using a white sheet and light to attract all kinds of moths (and probably a few other nocturnal insects), catching, and identifying them. We'll also take some time to learn about what a moth is and the important roles they play in our ecosystem. If you've ever wanted to get up close to a moth to see their neat colors, shapes, and patterns then this event is for you!

Just bring yourself and excitement for some moth madness!

Building for Birds

Event date and time
July 27, 2022 - 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
Event description

Join us as we learn about some of the birds that call this area home! We’ll be talking about a few different species, their preferred living style and diet, and then building bird feeders with sticks, pine cones, and other natural items we find on the Kip Trail (there will be peanut butter being used). Come on down if you’re interested in learning about North Country birds and want to build a bird feeder for them!

This event is free and perfect for all ages. Youth under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.