Natural North Dakota

By Prairie PublicNews

Natural North Dakota episodes

August 01 The importance of North Dakota's rangelands
The United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists to “honor and raise awareness of the important role these lands play in creating a sustainable environment and economic growth for communities around the world.”
3 min
July 25 Why snakes shed their skin
If you frequently walk through the prairies and woodlands, or perhaps even your own backyard, you may come upon a rather delicate, whitish translucent tube of thin material that’s several inches long and has a scale pattern that resembles the skin of a snake. Well, it probably is a snake skin.
3 min
July 20 What is that hawk circling overhead?
A rather common sight across North Dakota during the summer months is a large hawk with broad wings and a wide, rounded tail soaring high overhead. Although there may be other species, the odds are good that it would be a Swainson’s, red-tailed, or ferruginous hawk.
3 min
July 11 Exploring North Dakota's Heart River
It might come as a surprise, but an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 Mandan lived in and around the confluence of the Heart River and Missouri River in the 16th century. And the Heart River, particularly the area around the confluence, represented the “hearth” of the world and was important to their creation story.
3 min
July 04 Three Grosbeaks to find in North Dakota
Are you familiar with grosbeaks? They are birds, similar in size to an oriole, and known for their rather short and conical beaks. Three species can be found in North Dakota.
3 min
June 27 Can North Dakota save its ash trees?
Elm trees, once abundant and widely distributed in North Dakota and highly valued as an ornamental died by the thousands, mostly in the 1970s. Something similar may occur with ash trees and the emerald ash borer.
3 min
June 20 Why cottonwoods produce millions of seeds
A single cottonwood tree can produce a staggering number of small seeds each year. Estimates range from around 25-48 million. But of course, the chances of a seed becoming established and living to maturity are extremely slim.
3 min
June 13 Dame’s rocket may be pretty, but it's a non-native species in North America
Have you been noticing a 2-3 foot tall wildflower sporting a terminal cluster of conspicuous purple flowers? If so, it is probably Dame’s Rocket. That is not a native plant. It might look pretty, but as they say, looks can be deceiving.
3 min
June 06 How early travelers navigated the Northern Plains
Have you ever wondered how Native Americans, early explorers, and settlers got around the region without getting lost? These days, well-marked highways and GPS make modern travel easy. But historically, knowledge of the landscape and landmarks were key to traveling the region.
3 min
May 30 The interesting survival strategy of Jack-in-the-Pulpit plants
I suspect that most people have heard of the Jack-in-the-Pulpit plant, but may not know that it is native to North Dakota. And it might surprise you, but it is not always "Jack" that is in the pulpit. It could be "Jill."
3 min

About Natural North Dakota

From the publisher's feed

Hosted by Chuck Lura, a biology professor at Dakota College in Bottineau. Chuck has a broad knowledge of “Natural North Dakota” and loves sharing that knowledge with others. Since 2005, he has written a weekly column, “Naturalist at Large,” for the Lake Metigoshe Mirror. His columns also appear under “The Naturalist” in several other weekly newspapers across North Dakota.