MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette
Bison graze in the fields of the rugged Theodore Roosevelt National Park in South Dakota. According to the National Park Service website, a young Roosevelt visited the Dakotas in 1883 to hunt bison, where his attitude of conservation was shaped by the landscape of the the Badlands and a desire to conserve our nations' resources. After becoming president in 1901, Roosevelt used his authority to protect wildlife and public lands by creating the United States Forest Service (USFS) and establishing 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, 4 national game preserves, 5 national parks, and 18 national monuments by enabling the 1906 American Antiquities Act. During his presidency,Theodore Roosevelt protected approximately 230 million acres of public land.
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette
MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette