A fav stop was the (recently burned) Nebraska National Forest. The origin story of this place is wild—basically, a local professor convinced Teddy Roosevelt to designate this treeless tract as a “forest reserve,” so he could then hand-plant one. Until recently it was the largest man-made forest.

A wooden sign in a grassy area marks the entrance to Nebraska National Forest and Grassland, with trees and a paved road in the background.A vast, grassy landscape is dotted with sparse, charred trees under a cloudy sky.Rolling hills covered with tall grasses and sparse, leafless trees under a cloudy sky.A grassy landscape features sparse, leafless trees under a cloudy sky.A wide river flows between tree-lined banks under a cloudy sky.A river flows under a distant bridge, framed by vertical wooden bars and surrounded by lush greenery.The poster describes the efforts of Dr. Charles E. Bessey in creating the Bessey Ranger District and highlights the conservation impact in Nebraska's Sandhills.A museum display board titled Never Give Up features information about Charles E. Scott and his contributions to the Nebraska National Forest.