SOUTH DAKOTA — For the past three decades the National Grasslands Visitor Center has been inspiring visitors by telling the story of America’s National Grasslands. On Aug. 9th, the National Grasslands Visitor Center celebrated this milestone in a big way with a grand re-opening and celebration for Smokey Bear’s 80th Birthday. The grand re-opening event had nearly 100 attendees who participated in a ribbon cutting, singing Happy Birthday to Smokey and eating cake. The re-opening comes after a pipe burst, and renovations closed the NGVC from February of 2022 to July 2024. 

The most recent renovation included improvements to the exterior that was provided by the Great American Outdoors Act. GAOA was established to help with improvements to existing infrastructure on federal public lands. The exterior improvements include a small, shaded amphitheater, animal trackway in the walkways leading up to the NGVC, a fossil exhibit wall, new interpretive signage, picnic table area and native plants added to the landscaping. Most of the work is completed with some of the exhibits and signage still in the development phase.

The National Grasslands Visitor Center located in Wall, S.D., represents all the USDA Forest Service managed National Grasslands and Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. The NGVC focuses on inspiring visitors from all over the world on the importance of grasslands and what they provide through education and interpretation. This year, the NGVC has been improving its outreach, partnerships and providing more programs for the community. The NGVC continues to have a strong partnership with Badlands National Park and provides an interpretive program every Monday night for their Evening Program series during summer. Interpretive Programs presented by NGVC’s Interpretive Rangers range in topics, some of the program topics covered this year have been about how cloning efforts are helping restore the Black-Footed Ferret populations, how native grassland plants helped people survive, the life of a bison within the Great Plains ecosystem, how three keystone species served as engineers of the grasslands, and how night skies connect us to our past and present. Attendance at Evening Programs has been as high as 213 people.

Another summer program the NGVC Interpretive Rangers hosted is an Atlatl Program at Pinnacles Designated Dispersed Camping Area on Buffalo Gap National Grassland. Through this ranger led program participants learn about survival on the Grasslands and how an ancient hunting tool evolved. After the program participants have an opportunity to try their hand at using an atlatl, a spear throwing device. The NGVC also hosted Jr. Ranger Days that were held for five Saturdays this summer. Each Jr. Ranger Day highlights a specialist field found within the Forest Service. The day includes special guests, activities for kids of all ages, Interpretive Ranger Programs, and a Jr. Ranger Badge and certificate to be earned.

The National Grasslands Visitor Center is looking forward to another 30 years of inspiring visitors to learn more about conservation of America’s National Grasslands through education and interpretive programs.