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Just Our Nature - news, updates and insights
The Story Behind the Monthly Climate Action Vigil in Canton
By Alex Calk on
Blog: In the SchoolsOnce 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…
Saying Goodbye to Summer
By Emlyn Crocker on
Blog: Just Our NatureWhether 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…
Cattails: A Tale of Nine Lives
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureThe 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…
Wrangling Today, Protecting Tomorrow
By Lydia Dwyer on
Blog: Just Our NatureThe 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…
A North Country Turtle in Trouble
By Glenn Johnson on
Blog: Just Our NaturePerhaps 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…
Fish Forestry
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureAs 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…
Nature Up North 2020 Calendar Photo Contest
By Emlyn Crocker on
Blog: Just Our NatureIt'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…
Registration Open! Teacher Workshop, July 30-31
By Emlyn Crocker on
Blog: In the SchoolsThis 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…
Meet our Summer 2019 Naturalist Interns!
By Emlyn Crocker on
Blog: Just Our NatureNature Up North is pleased to introduce our 4 summer naturalist interns, Emily, Val, Grace and Lydia. We are thrilled to have them working with us this summer to bring more public events, citizen science, and outdoor fun to the North Country community. Read below to learn more about each of them and to hear what they've been getting up to so far!
Photos: Emily Gerber (left),…
Controlling Lily Leaf Beetle – Part I
By Paul Siskind on
Blog: Just Our NatureGardeners throughout the northern United States are likely familiar with the Lily Leaf Beetle (Lilioceris lilii), a non-native invasive insect that can quickly decimate lilies in gardens. However, the beetle also has potential to extirpate populations of native lilies. In North America, native lilies tend to grow in small, low-density populations. Native lilies alone offer the…