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!

In this episode, Nature Up North Digital Media Intern Pat Chase has a conversation with the former president of the Ducks Unlimited St. Lawrence University chapter Nate Serlin. They discuss hunting, conservation, and the important role that hunters can play in supporting conservation efforts.

In this installment of Naturally Speaking, Digital Media interns Patrick Chase and Roisin Creedon-Carey discuss Snowflake Bentley: The first person to take a detailed photo of a snowflake and determine no two were alike. Our hosts tell the story of Bentley’s work while also sharing how he impacted the world of meteorology. In this podcast, they will cover Bentley’s life story, how to capture an image of your own snowflake, and even share some fun writings about the snowflake man himself. 

Did you know wild parsnips can burn your skin when exposed to the sun? That raspberries can relieve your menstrual cramps? That motherwort can help with your digestive problems? Listen in to learn the powerful properties of plants found here in the North Country as Satieokwen Bucktooth, owner and founder of Snipe Clan Botanicals, takes us through her own backyard.

The rich history of water transportation in the North Country is meandering and exciting. Join Nature up North Interns Roisin Creedon-Carey and Patrick Chase as they guide you through the ups and downs of canoeing in the North Country. Not only do they review the anatomy of a canoe and how the purpose of the canoe has changed over time, they also share some of George Washington Sears canoeing Poetry! 

Roisin and Patrick share personal anecdotes as well as opportunities for education and involvement this coming spring. So come along for the ride (or paddle!)

Who doesn’t love tiny creatures? Those of differing colors? Living in our own backyards?! Nature Up North student interns and environmentalists Aurora Hager and Darlenne Cazarin are joined together to introduce salamanders, who they are, where they live, and how they survive the North Country winters. This stirring episode explores the ins and outs of the slimy, but wonderful, salamanders crawling through the leaf litter right beneath our feet; an episode you don’t want to miss. With a focus on the Blue-spotted salamander, Aurora and Darlenne go into detail about the importance of these amphibians, the impacts from climate change on their species, and what we can do to help.