It’s no secret that Nebraska is much less wooded than many (okay, most) other states. But that doesn’t mean we’re totally lacking in trees. We actually have two national forests, and one of them, Nebraska National Forest, was once the largest hand-planted forest in the world. It’s since been surpassed in terms of the number of trees it holds by a forest in South Africa, but it’s still the largest in the U.S.

Nebraska's national forests include the Nebraska National Forest (made up of the consolidated Dismal River, Niobrara, and North Platte National Forests) and Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest.
flickr/Doc Searls
Nebraska National Forest is split into two ranger districts: the Bessey Ranger District in the Sandhills and Pine Ridge Ranger District in Thomas, Dawes, Blaine, and Sioux counties. Together they encompass nearly 142,000 acres.
Wikimedia/Bkell
Bessey Ranger District was planted in 1902 after botanist Charles E. Bessey guessed that the area may once have featured a natural forest.
Wikimedia/Bkell
Bessey's goal was to see if forests could be introduced to the treeless plains area to act as a national timber reserve.
flickr/Nick

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Pine Ridge Ranger District is the smaller of the two districts and is comprised of native ponderosa forests.
flickr/Ben Schmitt
The Pine Ridge District is where you'll find Pine Ridge National Recreation Area and Soldier Creek Wilderness, both very popular places for hiking, camping, horseback riding, and other outdoor activities.
Wikimedia/Spencer
The Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest is found in the north-central region of the Sandhills. The forest clocks in at just over 116,000 acres containing grasslands and pockets of pine forests.
flickr/Jeff B
The 2,300 wooded acres in McKelvie were mostly planted by hand. Besides the Ponderosa Pines everyone seems to recognize, the forest also holds Scots Pines and Eastern Junipers.
Wikimedia/US Forest Service

Nebraska’s forests are certainly different than those located in other states. They’re on the small side, and they look sparse when compared to those in more naturally wooded states. But keep in mind that this is the Great Plains, and the fact that we have forests at all is remarkable. Besides being fantastic places for outdoor fun, the forests also provide homes for a huge population of Nebraska animals and plants.

Have you visited Nebraska’s forests? Which area is your favorite to explore? Let us know in the comments.

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