Nature Up North

Nature Up North Nature Up North works to foster connections between people and nature in our North Country home.

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Hi everyone! My name is Emily Moore and I am so excited to begin my work as Nature Up North's new Project Manager! I am ...
09/04/2026

Hi everyone! My name is Emily Moore and I am so excited to begin my work as Nature Up North's new Project Manager!

I am from Birmingham, AL and graduated this May with a BS in Environmental Science and a minor in Art History. I am passionate about environmental outreach, communications, interpretation, and overall connecting folks more with the natural spaces that make life on our planet so wonderful. I have already greatly enjoyed exploring the diverse landscapes and ecosystems of the North Country and am looking forward to watching the maples change color in the next couple of months. Check out www.natureupnorth.org to learn about the other team members working with Nature Up North this year!

What better pick-me-up than a new podcast to kick off your Monday!Over the summer, our Naturalist Cecily had the pleasur...
08/17/2026

What better pick-me-up than a new podcast to kick off your Monday!

Over the summer, our Naturalist Cecily had the pleasure of sitting down with renowned naturalist an author Scott Weidensaul! Scott's work focuses mainly on migratory birds, so in this episode, learn about how new technology has changed the way bird migration is studied, ways community members can be involved in large-scale data collection, and some of the physical adaptations birds have to enable their incredible journeys!

Listen to this podcast by clicking the link below. This is part one of a two-part episode, so be sure to tune back in soon to hear the rest of Cecily and Scott's conversation!

Listen here! https://www.natureupnorth.org/node/18715

For the final day of "Dan's Favorites" week, I wanted to share a few of the favorite places I've visited while on the jo...
08/14/2026

For the final day of "Dan's Favorites" week, I wanted to share a few of the favorite places I've visited while on the job. I'm skipping right over the typical answers: Lampson Falls, Tooly Pond Road, Boldt Castle, and am instead showcasing a few places I didn't know about before, but I think the community would enjoy.

Starting with a unique member of this list, Eel Weir State Park is a camping area along the Oswegatchie just down the road from Heuvelton. There are no hiking trails there, but I think it's a hidden gem if you're looking for a place to fish, enjoy a day in the water, a canoe start/end point, or a local camping getaway.

Wolf Lake State Forest sits between Gouverneur and Edwards in the town of Talcville and boasts 11 miles of trail along some beutiful takes. This is my kind of trail. It's secluded, goes through multiple forest ecosystems, is relatively flat, and hosts a lean-to or two along the lake shore for easy camping. This trail hosted one of our fairy houses in the fall of 2024, and I've been looking for an excuse to go back ever since.

Finally, Clear Pond near Parishville is a trail I loved for birding, dispersed camping, and boating. Starting from an old Boy Scout camp (you can only see a couple foundations left), the trail circles Clear Pond and then continues a few miles into the woods. The big draw to this trail for my is its healthy lack of maintenance. The trail around the lake is navigable, but there were a few times I lost the markers. If you head down the trail away from the lake, it disappears entirely in some places. I really enjoy the adventure, and from a birding perspective I think the less disturbed the habitat, the better the birding, but that's the opinion of an amateur.

Nature Up North wouldn't be possible without the support we see from our community at events, so here's my favorite even...
08/13/2026

Nature Up North wouldn't be possible without the support we see from our community at events, so here's my favorite event from each of the past three years!

Any Project Manager will tell you that the best events are collaborative. There's less overall workload, you share event advertising with another group that has their own audience, and the result is higher attendance. My first collaboration with the SLC Center for History and Culture was just that as we paddled down the Grasse River from Pyrites to Taylor Park here in Canton. What started as a rough entrance to the river with some rapids quickly mellowed out into a relaxing day on the water; an experience boosted by the wealth of history that can be seen in the river and along its shores.

In the fall of 2025, one of our new (at the time) Enviro Ed Interns led a moss walk at Lampson Falls. Moss are incredibly hard to properly identify and we were nervous that the niche topic wouldn't appeal to the community, but we arrived to find a passionate crowd waiting for us at the trailhead to start our walk! What was supposed to take 1 - 1.5 hours ended up lasting 2.5 as we meandered down the trail to the waterfall and collectively shared in the enjoyment of a fall day and newfound curiosity in one of the forest's smallest plants.

Finally, my favorite event from this year was our 8th Annual Cardboard Sled Race. "An annual event? That can't be your favorite!" It usually wouldn't be, but this year's race was a rewarding lesson in resilience. My first winter we had to cancel the race due to a lack of snow, and last year's had lower attendance than we hoped. This year, however, was right back to a big turnout, great sleds, and fun had by all. It was also the first time one of our interns had ever gone sledding (and then they wouldn't stop)!

One of the more intimidating projects for our interns is podcasting, but I think they end up having the most fun with th...
08/12/2026

One of the more intimidating projects for our interns is podcasting, but I think they end up having the most fun with them. Here are my picks for the podcasts I enjoyed the most (that aren't my own) from 2024, 25, and 26.

Starting in 2024, this is when I started to realize how deep the passion for wetlands went with our Digital Media Intern Liz Anderson. This would be the start of a theme for her. In this episode, titled "Diving Into the World of Wetlands", Liz spoke with Clarkson professor Tom Langen about local wetlands and how they're managed. Give it a listen here: https://www.natureupnorth.org/node/18348

If you've spent much time with me around a campfire, you'll know I'm bound to bring up bats at some point. Predictably, the episode "Driving Students Batty" was a shoo-in for my favorite 2025 episode. Hosted by Summer Naturalist Marina Garlick, she interviews a St. Lawrence University Summer Fellow, Jessica Harmen, about the acoustics research she's doing on local bats. If you've never heard a bat call before, you can hear one in this episode by following this link: https://www.natureupnorth.org/node/18451

Finally, you may have noticed an increase in the number of Auroras this past couple of years. So did our Digital Media Intern Brooklyn Phillips, so in her podcast, "Lighting Up the North", she decided to interview several people researching auroras from around the country, and our very own Aileen O'Donoghue. Several fascinating conversations ensued about Auroras in the North Country, aurora chasing, and what research is uncovering about how they work. Check it out here: https://www.natureupnorth.org/node/18682

Whether looking to learn about something specific, or just trying to find some light reading before bed, I've always enj...
08/11/2026

Whether looking to learn about something specific, or just trying to find some light reading before bed, I've always enjoyed how our blogs cover such a wide range of topics. Here are my picks from 2024, 25, and 26.

2024 features some spectacular weather (a hurricane) that flooded much of the area, and as a result, stressed many of our trees. In the blog titled "Seasons of Change: An Ode to Fall", Digital Media Intern Donatella DeFazio talks about why leaves change and what their color expressions mean. Why I like this blog so much is Donatella also created photo montages of trees around campus as they changed through the season, so you can see how quickly it can happen. Check out her blog here: https://www.natureupnorth.org/justmynature/dadefa22/seasons-change-ode-fall

My 2025 pick was written by one of our Summer Naturalists, Zakithe Khumalo, all about the power of bogs as an engine for capturing carbon. Why I love this blog so much is the credit it gives to an ecosystem I feel is underappreciated. As Zakithi writes, "Places like Massawepie Mire store more carbon per acre than any other terrestrial ecosystem on Earth". Titled "The North Country's Unnoticed Green Machine", you can find her blog here: https://www.natureupnorth.org/justmynature/ztkhum23/north-countrys-unnoticed-green-machine

Finally, my 2026 pick for my favorite blog comes from a community member, Paul Hetzler. You'll see Paul's name all over our blogs page. He submits several blogs to us each year, and you can too! This blog by Paul is titled "Dragons and Damsels to the Rescue" and explores the lifecycle and ecosystem service provided by dragonflies and damselflies. I appreciated this blog so much this year because both insects were featured in several programs we led this summer. It's almost like Paul was foreshadowing. Enjoy Paul's lighthearted writing style through this link: https://www.natureupnorth.org/justmynature/paul-j-hetzler/dragons-and-damsels-rescue

This is just a snapshot of some of the wonderful writing featured on our blogs page. Go check it out for yourself here! https://www.natureupnorth.org/blogs/just-our-nature

Hello North Country Explorers! After almost three years as Project Manager for Nature Up North, it's time for me to pass...
08/10/2026

Hello North Country Explorers! After almost three years as Project Manager for Nature Up North, it's time for me to pass the mantle. This will be my last week representing Nature Up North, but don't worry, we've got a wonderful new Project Manager starting next week!

This week's media theme is "Dan's Favorites". Each day, I'll be sharing my favorite posts, events, and places from my time as Project Manager. Today is all about Encounters. Here are my favorites from each year!

Starting in 2023, this photo submitted by Julie Madlin showcases something I think we appreciate less than we should: people's role in nature. Sure we're disruptive (like this shipping liner), but we're also capable of so much appreciation of the natural gifts we've been given, and in turn can have such a large impact on the health of our ecosystems.

In 2024 we have another success story created by people, this time told through a spruce grouse. Submitted by Ben Dixon, I liked this encounter so much because of the story behind it. According to Ben, the DEC have been working on creating a breeding population of this endangered bird in the Massawepie Mire, and this fledgling is an encouraging sign that they're having some success!

This next encounter has been a popular attention grabber at our tables this summer. Shared by Jennifer Sigmon, many people thought this deer was having its ears cleaned by these red wing blackbirds. What you can't see in this photo is the fawn the mother is nursing, and the nest these birds are protecting. A story of three parents all protecting their young.

Though I won't play a role in building this year's community calendar, this leucistic ruby throated hummingbird would be a favorite to make the cut in my mind. Aside from just being a cool photo, Jennifer Sigmon (again) was able to catch a rare mutation in our areas only hummingbird species. Just super cool and unique!

Finally, an honorable mention. It's not often a member of staff ends up in someone else's encounter. Captured by Troy Parla (thanks for the action shot Troy), is me! Still with my long hair taking part in one of St. Lawrence Valley Paddlers community paddles.

The river otter is a member of the weasel family that can be easily identified by a stout body, short legs, a noticeably...
08/07/2026

The river otter is a member of the weasel family that can be easily identified by a stout body, short legs, a noticeably tapered tail, and dense, short, glossy fur. They can weigh anywhere from 10-30 pounds depending on age and what they eat. These otters consume almost anything and everything they catch. Fish are mainly what they eat, but they also eat small mammals and birds. Otters and also nocturnal; they can be seen sometimes playing or foraging in the daytime. They also do not hibernate, so you can see the year round. River otters are playful aquatic animals known for sliding down muddy banks, holding their breath underwater for up to eight minutes, and using specialized facial whiskers to detect prey in dark water.

Next Fishers. The fisher cat is near the top of the food chain and has very few predators besides humans. Fishers were s...
08/06/2026

Next Fishers. The fisher cat is near the top of the food chain and has very few predators besides humans. Fishers were so wildly hunted in the 18th century that they became locally extinct, but conservation efforts brought them back slowly but surely. A male can weigh 8-13 pounds, while a female will grow to about half that size. Despite their name, they do not eat fish. Fishers are generalist predators. Although their primary prey is snowshoe hares and porcupines, they are also known to supplement their diet with insects, nuts, berries, and mushrooms. If you wanna spot one, they are most active at dawn and dusk. Fun fact: fishers don’t even eat fish, ironic, right?

Next are beavers, our natural dam builders. They are New York's official state Animal. They can grow to be about 110 pou...
08/05/2026

Next are beavers, our natural dam builders. They are New York's official state Animal. They can grow to be about 110 pounds; they are incredibly strong and amazing swimmers. Beavers are a keystone species, meaning their presence is essential for biodiversity and a healthy, sustainable ecosystem. Beavers accomplish this promotion of biodiversity by altering the habitat of an area by building dams and changing water flows. They are herbivorous, consuming tree bark, aquatic plants, grasses, and sedges. We have been seeing some making their homes on the sides of the river bank on the Little Grass River. Come and check it out for yourself on Saturday at 6:30pm for our last paddle! Register by tapping the link in our bio and heading to our events page to find our last paddle. Hope to see you there!

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