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 - news, updates and insights

Ask a Fairy 2020

By Thimble & Blossom on
Blog: Ask a Fairy

Easy Bird Feeder Designs You Can Make at Home

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By Kathryn Jepson on
Blog: Just Our Nature
While being stuck at home during Earth Week isn’t ideal, there are still many ways you can make a difference and celebrate from home! One great way to benefit your local ecosystem is by making bird feeders. Below are two different ways you can easily make a bird feeder for your yard, depending on what materials you have available. Enjoy!   Wooden Open-Side Birdhouse Feeder     For…
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The Earth Day 7K has gone virtual!

50 Years of Earth Day, 5 Years of the Earth Day 7K
By Madison O'Shea on
Blog: Just Our Nature
Four years ago, Nature Up North and the St. Lawrence Land Trust created the First Annual Earth Day 7K.  That race, in 2016, brought eighteen participants together as they ran and walked in support of Mother Earth. Since that first race, the number of participants has grown to over 100. The Earth Day 7K was initially designed to foster a deeper connection to, and appreciation for, nature in…

Happy Earth Day!

Toad with words "Happy Earth Day!"
By Erika Barthelmess on
Blog: Just Our Nature
The year 2020 will, for most of us, go down as one of the strangest in our lifetimes. And for some, it will also be one of the most tragic. We will move forward from this point in time referring to the "pre-pandemic" and "post-pandemic" parts of our life.  Going forward, it will be easy to overlook the fact that 2020 also marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.  And yet the COVID…
Sunset with words "Happy Earth Day" View from Coney mountain with words "50th Anniversary of Earth Day"

Climate Action in the North Country Ramping Up

Potsdam Climate Vigil
By Alex Calk on
Blog: In the Schools
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…

Local Climate Vigils Expand to Potsdam

Students at the October Vigil
By Alex Calk on
Blog: In the Schools
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…

Nature Up North 2020 Calendars for Sale

2020 Calendar Cover, snowy paddle by Fred Nentwick
By Emlyn Crocker on
Blog: Just Our Nature
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…
2020 Calendar back cover, featured photos by month.

North Country Voices: Canton Farmer's Market

The Canton Farmers’ Market in Autumn (Source: Facebook)
By Kathryn Jepson on
Blog: North Country Voices
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…

How to Make Paper with Invasive Plants

Lifting a paper making screen to reveal wet paper
By Valeria Maldonado Ortiz on
Blog: Just Our Nature
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…

SLU Students Host Conversation after Oct. 4th Climate Vigil

SLU students hold signs protesting climate change.
By Alex Calk on
Blog: In the Schools
*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 …
Protesters hold signs and flags at the climate vigil in Canton.