The Upper New

06/22/2026

Here's the official release of our new position paper: Building the Darkway, Part I: Dark Skies & Tourism Along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The following blog post introduces the paper (and the link to the full text PDF), as well as our complementary interactive map.
For readers' convenience, the Executive Summary for the position paper is provided as part of the news post. Please read the position paper and share it with your communities and municipal leaders. Thanks!

We are thrilled to announce the official release of our new position paper: Building the Darkway, Part I: Dark Skies & Tourism Along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

12/03/2025

The Upper New is seeking volunteer bioregional correspondents across the biosphere to contribute to a library of bioregional resources for ecological learning. Check out our website post to find out more and submit your application!

The Upper New is seeking volunteer bioregional correspondents across the biosphere to contribute to a library of bioregional resources for ecological learning.

12/30/2024

There's a new page about ecological literacy on the Upper New website. Check it out: https://uppernew.org/ecological-literacy/

The whole purpose of the existence of The Upper New is to foster ecological literacy around the globe. It’s baked into our mission.

10/28/2024

We've just released a new demo video for The Pulse Of The Species, part of our Interactive Basin Project. Check it out here:

What is the Interactive Basin Project? The Interactive Basin Project, or IBP, is a technological vehicle for hybridizing engaging lifelong incidental learning experiences…

03/24/2024

SEEKING ECO-CRITICAL REVIEW PROPOSALS: DEADLINE TWO WEEKS!
Submit your Eco-Critical Review Proposals here: https://buff.ly/3vskeuD
Proposal Submissions Deadline March 31, 2024. Don’t wait too long!
Post artwork copyright: Benjamin Erlandson, used with permission.

03/24/2024

GLOBAL MOBILE MEDIA (VISUAL ARTS) CONTEST. DEADLINE ONE WEEK! Submit your work here: https://buff.ly/3RQKqbl
Our mobile media contest is a global visual arts contest. The mobile media contest is open to any human creator anywhere on Earth, aged 13 years or older.
The theme for this mobile media contest is Sense of Place.
How do we define mobile media? We define mobile media as any artifact of static visual art that was manufactured entirely within the machinery of a mobile device (smartphone, tablet, etc.) – photography, digital art, illustration, 3d models, etc.
All entries will be considered for publication in the Upper New Review.
All winners will be published in the Upper New Review.
Full Submissions Guidelines on our website (page linked above).

03/24/2024

GLOBAL SHORT STORY CONTEST: DEADLINE ONE WEEK! Submit your short story (up to 10,000 words): https://buff.ly/3GQJmh3
The short story contest is open to any English language writer anywhere on Earth, aged 13 years or older. Cash prizes!
The theme for this short story contest is Sense of Place.
All entries will be considered for publication in the Upper New Review.
All winners will be published in the Upper New Review.
Full Submissions Guidelines on our website (page linked above).

03/22/2024

Here's a more robust post about The Upper New participation in the 2024 New River Symposium.

The Upper New has been invited to participate in the 2024 New River Symposium hosted by the New River Conservancy at Radford University on April 11-12, 2024.