Chuck Lura has a broad knowledge of "Natural North Dakota"and loves sharing that knowledge with others. Since 2005, Chuck has written a weekly column, “Naturalist at Large,” for the Lake Metigoshe Mirror, and his “The Naturalist” columns appear in several other weekly North Dakota newspapers.
Lura was a long-time biology professor at Dakota College at Bottineau, publishing research on ecological aspects of grasslands in the northern Great Plains. In retirement, he continues to share his Natural North Dakota essays for the Prairie Public audience.
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Natural North Dakota is supported by NDSU Central Grasslands Research Extension Center and Dakota College at Bottineau, and by the members of Prairie Public. Thanks to Sunny 101.9 in Bottineau for their recording services.
Hear Natural North Dakota on Prairie Public on Saturdays and Sundays at 8:35am CT.
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Are you getting a case of the winter blues? Are you spending too much time on the couch and too little time outdoors? Consider making a concerted effort to get outdoors more often to enjoy some of what nature has to offer during the winter. There is much to see and do for those interested a little "Natural North Dakota" that is quite easy to observe if one just takes the time to do so. -
All plant parts of water hemlock are toxic to humans and livestock. It is one of the deadliest plants native to North America, some say the deadliest. -
While driving down the country roads during winter, you may see a flock of sparrow-sized birds get up and fly away. Most people probably dismiss them as sparrows, but the next time you see the birds, look for flashes of white in the wings — they may be snow buntings. -
Spending time in nature doesn’t just inspire awe — research shows it can improve our health and well-being. -
Goldenrods might have caught your attention back in August and September with their showy yellow flowerheads. And they may still catch your attention during the winter. -
Arthur Cleveland Bent describes the white-breasted nuthatch as a "droll, earnest little bird, rather sedate and unemotional. He is no great musician and seems to lack a sense of humor." -
The rest of December and the first week of January could be great for skywatching. What could be the best meteor shower of the year is peaking next weekend. Plus, a couple other meteor showers and a super moon are coming soon. -
The northern lights were making national news a few weeks ago. Reports of the displays came streaming in from as far south as Florida. Seeing them always seems to elicit a sense of wonder and awe, and there may well be more shows to come this winter. -
No doubt many of you heard the recent news that “Wicked: For Good” star Jonathan Bailey was named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2025. Okay... But what species would you select to be the most attractive small mammal in North Dakota? -
Snowy owls, of course, are species of the tundra. So are lemmings, which are mouse-like mammals that are the main food source for snowy owls. For decades this predator/prey relationship has been known to be closely linked, and a four-year population cycle been well documented.
