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
Measuring Science
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureThe good news is that Imperial Forces are losing the battle for planetary dominance. The bad news is that we still play for their team. The British Imperial System of measurement, born in 1824 to help streamline a host of odd units inherited from various cultures, was at the time an improvement. But in 1965, the UK adopted the decimal-based metric system, despite the fact it was invented by the…
Not in Tents, Just Intense
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureWinter is not a season when many people think about tents, except maybe to be glad they do not live in one. I do have some friends who love winter camping, and the fact they have never extended an invitation is evidence of how much they value our friendship.
Oddly enough, winter is a crucial time to look for signs of forest-tent caterpillars (FTC). In spite of their name, FTC do not weave a…
Name-Calling
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureEncouraging people to make friends with wild plants can be a challenge. Sometimes there are genuine concerns. Nettles, as an example, make an early-spring cooked green par excellence, even though its fresh leaves and stems have stinging hairs that can cause an uncomfortable, if temporary, rash if care is not taken when harvesting it.
Other times, it is a matter of perception. Critical to the…
Weather or Not
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureWeather modeling has become quite a big deal in recent years, with meteorologists falling all over themselves to report what the latest models say. It sounds like a fun job, and I am trying to find out how to apply for a position. No doubt I could model categories like “large stationary front” or “high pressure system” pretty well. If it involves appearing in a swimsuit, though, forget it.
I love…
2018 Nature Up North Calendars
By Emlyn Crocker on
Blog: Just Our NatureWe are pleased to announce that 2018 Nature Up North calendars are on sale now through January! The printed calendar features some of our favorite photos shared by community members as Encounters on natureupnorth.org in the past year. They also feature Nature Notes highlighting seasonal wildlife behavior to look for each month.
Proceeds from our…
Caterpillar Soup
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureWhen it comes to personal growth, the Wicked Witch of the West had the right idea. Quite possibly she got it from monarch butterflies, which must exist in Oz, since they are found worldwide except for polar regions. Many times, a rearrangement of the self-image we have come to know is needed to achieve our fullest potential. In my experience this is always hard, and seldom is it voluntary.
We…
Seeing Red
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureWe need to figure out a way to have Amazon deliver the weather in the future. I don’t believe Mother Nature intended to give us a record-setting wet summer; I just think all the good weather probably got misplaced on a loading dock in Topeka, or something like that. The spate of mild sunny weather we’ve been having over the past couple of weeks, while very enjoyable, was clearly meant to be…
Northern Oysters
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureCarnivorous oysters are lurking about in the North Country, and residents who venture into the woods are advised to carry butter and a skillet at all times. Oyster mushrooms, Pleurotus ostreatus, native wood-decaying fungi often found on dead and dying hardwoods, are delectable when sautéed in butter. Maybe hikers should carry a few cloves of garlic and a press as well. It’s good to be prepared.…
An Introduction to Earth’s History as told by the North Country Landscape
By Maya Williams on
Blog: Just Our NatureHave you ever thought about what the earth was like millions of years ago? It’s hard to imagine the world before we were born, let alone before the human species existed. But if the history of our planet was represented by a single 24 hour day, the presence of modern humans would only be equivalent to less than 4 seconds. What do you think Earth will look like in another million years? The more…
Nature Up North Calendar Photo Contest
By Emlyn Crocker on
Blog: Just Our Nature
**contest closed -- winning submissions will be announced by mid October, 2017**
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 2018 wall calendar. At Nature Up North we hope to inspire exploration and appreciation of the…
