Naturally Speaking

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. 

Anastasia George, Interim Executive Director of the Onkwehón:we Midwives Collective (OMC) joins Nature Up North’s student interns Abigail Lateer and Langley Sieve to discuss the role of the OMC in “bringing birth back to our (Mohawk) community.” Anastasia discusses why cultural birthing practices are so important, how the OMC is working to raise awareness of their work in and outside of the community, and the challenges the Akwesasne people are facing from decades of pollution.

Welcome back intrepid Naturally Speaking listeners for a new season of North Country podcasting! In August we released a special North Country Voices episode with Len Mackey, but we’re excited to begin Season 3 in earnest - starting with an episode on the Onkwehon:we Midwives Collective. Following the first episode, you can expect an episode a month on a plethora of different topics! Plus, a new "bite-sized" form of podcasts will be coming soon - listen to the trailer for more info on both! 

Have you ever wanted to see the North Country through the eyes of someone truly connected to the earth? On the first episode of North Country Voices, Liz sits down with Len Mackey to discuss his lifestyle and career in the North Country. They discuss hunting, providing for the community, and the persistent buck-skin suit. The first installment of our new series, North Country Voices, is one you won't want to miss! 

Have you ever heard mention of the “wood wide web”? For the final episode in the St. Lawrence University Forest Ecology students podcast series, Rae takes us on a journey through the network right below our feet. In discussion with Claire Burkum, St. Lawrence General Biology Course Manager, they discuss tree communication and intelligence - do trees talk to each other like humans, animals, or something else entirely? This episode is sure to make you think differently of the towering trunks on your next walk through the woods, and as the series finale it’s one you don’t want to miss!

Fungi - the future of the food industry? From locally grown shiitake mushrooms to wild chicken of the woods and giant puffballs, St. Lawrence University student Aidan takes us on a journey of delicious proportions. Aidan begins by introducing us to local mushroom producer Bob Wagner, and giving the listener just the right information if you’re interested in growing your own mushrooms. From there we venture into the forest to harvest wild mushrooms and turn them into quesadillas, pizza, and more. This episode of our Forest Ecology series is sure to make you hungry for some wild delicacies!

As a resident of the North Country it's hard to have not at least heard of the small, shiny green insects known as the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), or at the very least have seen the purple boxes used to survey for the pests hanging from trees. Join St. Lawrence University Forest Ecology student and Angello Johnson, St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Forestry Resource Program Technician and Mohawk basket maker as they explore a local black ash stand and discuss the importance of black ash trees to the community. Learn why black ash is so important to the Akwesasne culture, the history of EAB and the area, and what you can do to help protect the black ash populations from this invasive pests. 

New York State maple weekends have passed, but sugar shacks across the North Country will be collecting and boiling sap until the temperatures rise and trees stop producing. In our most recent episode we learned about the life of a sugar maple, now Peter takes us through the sugaring process with local small business owner John Newman. They cover how John, of Newmanzone Maple, got started with sugaring, some of the challenges that are involved, and what the future of North Country maple sugaring could look like. If you enjoy a hearty plate of pancakes with local maple syrup, this is one podcast you don’t want to miss!

Have you ever wondered what life is like for a sugar maple?  Wonder no more! For the first episode of our Forest Ecology series, Olivia takes us through how a sugar maple experiences the four seasons. This episode will make you want to find the closest sugar maple, give it a pat on the trunk, and say “good job,” because they sure lead an impressive life!

Naturally Speaking is back for Season 2, kicking off with a mini-series from St. Lawrence University Forest Ecology students! With this short overview we’ll introduce the five upcoming podcasts, where students explore a variety of different topics pertaining to North Country forests and trees. Maple sugaring, emerald ash borer, edible fungus, and tree communication are all on the table. This is a series sure to have something for everybody!

In this episode of Naturally Speaking, host Kayla Edmunds is joined by Mark Manske, ornithologist and owner of Adirondack Raptors. Together, they discuss a few things such as what exactly a raptor is and what Mark's business, Adirondack Raptors, does. Plus, learn how that big colorful bird Kevin from the movie Up relate to the study of raptors. Stay tuned! 

Did you know that New York is a continental hub and on the front lines in the fight against invasive species? Have you been wondering what exactly an invasive species is? In this episode, Kayla and Val speak with  Rob Williams and Megan Pistolese from the St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario Partnership for Invasive Species Management and Dr. Linda Auker, invasive species biologist and a professor of biology at Misericordia University in Pennsylvania. The focus of this episode is invasive species in the North Country and what we can do about them!

Just in time for Halloween, Erika Barthelmess, Nature Up North project director, speaks with bat expert Carl Herzog, wildlife biologist with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. They discuss bat diversity and conservation here in New York, and bust common myths about bats. Ever wondered if bats are picky eaters? Do they really control mosquito populations? Do they drink blood?  And what should you do if you have bats living in your house? These questions and more are answered in this podcast episode. Plus, Carl describes the best and worst parts of his job and gives some tips on becoming a wildlife biologist.