Congress authorized Forest Reserves in 1891 to restore eastern lands damaged by deforestation and floods and to protect western lands from similar damage. Theodore Roosevelt and other advocates promoted managing these public lands for multiple uses while protecting them for future generations. The Black Hills National Forest, established in 1897, covers more than 1.2 million acres and has been managed for over a century to sustain land productivity and environmental protection. Known to the Lakota Sioux as Paha Sapa, or "Hills that are Black," the forest supports many sometimes competing values and uses, including livestock grazing, timber production, wildlife habitat, clean air and water, minerals, and recreation. Its wildlife includes deer, elk, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, turkey, and ruffed grouse. In the last century, more than 5 billion board feet of timber have been harvested there, fire has become a management tool to improve habitat, and rangelands have supported 22,500 cows annually with close monitoring. More than 1,300 miles of rivers and streams run through the hills, and over four million visitors come each year for activities ranging from hunting and camping to hiking, climbing, biking, fishing, and snowmobiling.

Photo: Anonymous

Photo: Anonymous

Photo: Anonymous

Pringle, South Dakota · USA