In this episode of Naturally Speaking, Zakithi explores the growing threat of invasive water chestnut in Northern New York’s rivers and lakes. Joined by researchers Brad Baldwin and Peyton Robbins, and Megan Pistolese-Shaw from SLELO PRISM, we dive into how this plant spreads, its impact on local ecosystems and communities, and the ongoing efforts to control it. Whether you're a paddler, angler, or nature lover, find out how you can help protect our waters. Get involved with SLELO PRISM at sleloinvasives.org/events, or sleloinvasives.org/pledge-to-protect. You can also learn more about the DEC’s Protect Our Waters work at https://dec.ny.gov/nature/invasive-species/aquatic/prevent-spread-of-aquatic-invasive-species 

On this episode of Naturally Speaking, join host Marina Garlick in a conversation with a Conservation Biology fellow, Jessica Harmen, discussing her research on bats in the North Country. Specifically, they dive into the intricacies of how bats are researched, as well as the different types of calls that they make. Through this conversation, they highlight how bats are interesting animals that are facing real conservation challenges and are not as intimidating as the media makes them out to be.

Join Nature Up North Digital Media Intern Donatella DeFazio as she walks us through some tips and tricks for starting your North Country hiking journey.

Included in this podcast are suggestions on hiking equipment you may want to consider, some strategies for dealing with bugs, and a conversation with the founder of Grasse River Outfitters, Brooke Rouse. If you've considered getting outdoors but haven't taken the leap, this is the podcast for you!

Join Nature Up North Digital Media Intern Liz Anderson as she shares the history of bald eages in New York with us! Learn about why eagles became endangered in the first place, what threats they're facing now, and how they're beating the odds to recover their population.

In this episode of Naturally Speaking, join Digital Media Intern Donatella DeFazio as she speaks with Judy Fuhr and Aaron Kellet about winter recreation and how it's responding to the North Country climate. Judy is a volunteer with the Friends of Higley Flow and helps with their winter grooming operations in the state park. Listen to hear how the groomers at Higley Flow are keeping trails open through the winter season. Aaron is a General Manager at Whiteface Mountain and shares how the mountain has been improving its snowmaking over the past few years. All this and more on this episode of Naturally Speaking.

In this podcast, join Nature Up North's Digital Media Intern Liz Anderson as she speaks with local expert, Clarkson professor, and community member Tom Langen. Learn about local wetlands, the role they play in our ecosystem, and how they're managed. In particular, they discuss the Upper and Lower Lakes Wilderness Management Area and the water drawdown that occurred this fall.

For more information on this project, visit the websites below.

General wetland management at Upper and Lower Lakes:

https://extapps.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/yfiupperhmp.pdf

The drawdown project:

https://dec.ny.gov/news/press-releases/2024/8/dec-announces-water-level-drawdown-at-upper-and-lower-lakes-wildlife-management-area

On this episode of Naturally Speaking, join host Dan French in a discussion with local artist Sara Lynch as they talk about art in the North Country. In particular, you'll hear them discuss Sara's events on Falls Island in Potsdam this past summer and the artwork that the community created as a result of those events, as well as the potential for a similar series of events on Fall Island in Canton next year.

If you want to see more of Sara's work after the podcast, you can find her on Instagram @ihavesmallhands, or on her website saraelynch.com.

Have you ever seen loons gathering in small social groups? Come with us on today's episode of naturally speaking as we talk to experts from the Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation and Ohio Northern University to learn about loons, why they display this social behavior, and even learn a little bit about ourselves. 

On this episode of Naturally Speaking, join summer naturalist intern Tadd Ledoux and tick expert Dr. Stephen Rich as they discuss tick season 2024. Tune in to learn tick behaviors, the risks associated with bites, and preventative measures you can use this tick season!

Enter the wonderful world of wetlands in this episode of Naturally Speaking! Join host Liz on an exploration of the unique features of wetlands. Delve into the biodiversity of wetlands and marshes, then learn about peatlands and bog bodies in the brief Nature Nugget. This episode features a conversation with Dr. Jessica Pearson, a professor with SUNY Potsdam’s environmental studies department. She explains more about the benefits of wetlands, threats they are facing in the North Country, and her work to mitigate one of those threats - the invasive plant called purple loosestrife. Next time you’re looking to get outside, consider a trail that features a wetland!

For more information and supplemental resources about species mentioned in this podcast, check out this podcast's page on our website, natureupnorth.org!