The Largest Hand-Planted Forest In the U.S.

Each year, 2.5 to 3 million seedlings are shipped to other forests from the Charles E. Bessey Nursery.

Along the Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway, settled amid miles and miles of dunes, grasses, and wild poppies, a 113 year-old anomaly persists — the Nebraska National Forest at Halsey. Within the forest is the Charles E. Bessey Tree Nursery, the oldest federal tree nursery in the U.S.

Brought to life by the vision and perseverance of Charles Bessey, the determination of Charles Scott, assistance from other experts in Bessey’s field team, Halsey residents, and the Civilian Conservation Corps, the forest has been maintained throughout the decades by the collaborative efforts between the tiny town of Halsey and the government.

The seedlings grown here help replenish the loss of trees from fires and insect infestations, and augment other reforestation efforts in at least seven Colorado National Forests, as well as National Forests in South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, and the Kansas Forest Service.

From Professor of Forest Ecology Susan Simard’s research, we know now that forest diversity that supports a healthier ecosystem. Perhaps over time, forest rangers will begin to adopt Indigenous wisdom.

Nebraska National Forest at Halsey by Karen Kopacz