By Meg Mering and Wenjie Wang
What BTAA Library submitted the item?
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Interesting tidbits
- Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands include the Nebraska National Forest, Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest, Buffalo Gap National Grassland, Fort Pierre National Grassland and Oglala National Grassland
- Within the United States, North Dakota (1.72%) is the only state that has less forest cover than Nebraska (3.20%).
- The Nebraska National Forest (Bessey Ranger District) began in 1902 as an experiment led by Charles Bessey, an UNL botany professor, to produce trees and plant them in what is now the largest human-made forest in the United States.
Map of Nebraska.
The green highlighted areas indicate the forests in Nebraska.
The largest human-planted forest in the Western Hemisphere is the Nebraska National Forest, specifically its Bessey Ranger District near Halsey, Nebraska. This expansive forest spans approximately 90,000 acres and was established in the early 1900s by Charles E. Bessey, a pioneering botanist with a vision to create a forest in the middle of the treeless Sandhills. Today, it stands as a testament to ecological ambition and perseverance, providing a diverse habitat for wildlife, a resource for timber, and a recreational haven for visitors.