What's Your Nature?
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Just Our Nature - news, updates and insights
North Country Nature Noises
By Leslie Herold on
Blog: Just Our NatureNature Up North has spent the summer getting back outside after a hiatus from summer activities due to COVID. We have really focused on being outside as much as we can and encouraged ourselves and other North Country community members to connect with nature this summer. There is so much to see, but our sight is only a small part of how we can really connect. Using all our senses when we are…
Ask A Fairy: Spring 2022 Answers!
By Thimble & Blossom on
Blog: Ask a FairyAfter a lengthy stay on North Country trails and in our backyards, our favorite naturalist fairies decided to continue north for the rest of the summer. But, before they left they made sure to write back to all of your wonderful nature questions! They wanted us to tell you that they loved answering your questions, and they hope you keep exploring and being curious about all the wonderful things…
On the Importance of Dirt
By Abigail Lateer on
Blog: Just Our NatureHave you ever spent time on a farm or around farmers? Do you remember helping your parents weed their garden as a kid–or do you make your kids help you weed yours? Chances are, you’re connected to agriculture in some shape or form, even if it’s just through the food you eat.
Some issues with the U.S. industrialized agriculture system seem more or less obvious. Most people intuit that…
Shell-ebrating North Country Painted Turtles
By Leslie Herold on
Blog: Just Our NatureAs soon as the ponds thaw and the temperatures warm, we know the earth is preparing for spring and summer. The flowers begin to bud and the grasses green again. We pack away our winter jackets and dig out the t-shirts and shorts. But it’s not just humans who recognize this transition. Our North Country wildlife recognize these same changes in the environment and come out for the warmer months of…
Fanfare in the North Country
By Liz Hart on
Blog: Just Our NatureIt’s nesting season, which means the skies and waters are filled with life; chirping birds calling out for a mate, waterfowl patrolling the waters for a place to roost. But for a few centuries, wetland areas have been missing the notable honking of the largest species of waterfowl in the world. Weighing an average of 26 pounds and growing up to 6 feet in length, the massive Trumpeter Swan is…
Ask A Fairy: Spring Into Summer With the Fairies!
By Thimble & Blossom on
Blog: Ask a FairyWe just heard that Thimble and Blossom, our migratory fairy naturalists, are back in the North Country! In the spring they like to bounce on blooming buds, zip around with dragonflies, and take cold dips in freshly melted puddles! Through all their woodland time they’ve become excellent naturalists, and are now here to answer any questions you may have! Between May 27th and June 24th, use the…
6th Annual Earth Day 7k Recap
By Kayla Edmunds on
Blog: Just Our NatureBy now any sore muscles have been iced and the race signs have been put away until next year, but we're still thinking about what a great time we had with the runners and walkers who attended Nature Up North's 6th Annual Earth Day 7k last Sunday! Although the morning started off a bit dreary with some sprinkles, by the time the starting countdown hit "go" at 10:30am, the sun was shining and…
4th Annual Cardboard Sled Race Recap
By Kayla Edmunds on
Blog: Just Our NatureThe 4th Annual Cardboard Sled Race, held Saturday, February 5th was an exciting way to start off Canton’s annual Winterfest. It was a chilly but sunny morning, perfect for speeding down the hill. Competition was fierce, with many racers fighting their way to the finish line by dragging themselves on tattered sleds or getting a boost from a teammate. Participants competed 1 v. 1 within their…
Beech Gone Wild: Raging Hormones
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureThe American beech (Fagus grandifolia) has been slowly dying out for the last 140 years. As a result, beech saplings have overrun many woodlots, making them less diverse, less vigorous, and less valuable.
That’s right – beech decline has led to a beech proliferation so extreme that in some places they are a…
Fungal Homes: Much Room, No Mushrooms
By Paul J. Hetzler on
Blog: Just Our NatureFor some reason, mushrooms have spawned more than their fair share of puns. As a kid I learned that they’re all fun-guys, and that the only rooms you can’t enter in a house are mushrooms. The last one might not work these days, as entire buildings are now being made of fungus.
Given that mold inside our homes…