One might not expect the United States’ first and largest planted forest to be in Nebraska, but the 222-square-mile Nebraska National Forest holds that distinction.

Established in 1907 near Halsey, the forest is a testament to the passion and drive of botany professor Charles E. Bessey, the father of modern botany and a pioneer in agricultural extension.

Born in Ohio and educated at Michigan State University, Bessey came to the University of Nebraska in 1884 with a vision for students to learn by observation and experimentation. He replaced a curriculum then heavy on library reading, lectures and recitations with lab and field studies.

Acclaimed for his devotion to his students, Bessey taught more than 4,000 of them over a 45-year career, many hundreds of whom made significant contributions to the sciences. Bessey’s students developed the disciplines of plains ecology and range management and advanced the fields of agronomy, plant genetics and crop physiology.