"I never would have been President if it had not been for my experiences in North Dakota," Theodore Roosevelt once remarked. Here in the North Dakota badlands, where many of his personal concerns first gave rise to his later environmental efforts, Roosevelt is remembered with a national park that bears his name and honors the memory of this great conservationist. Theodore Roosevelt National Park is in the colorful North Dakota badlands and is home to a variety of plants and animals, including bison, prairie dogs, and elk. The park is located near Medora, ND (South Unit). The North Unit is located 15 miles south of Watford City, ND.

The Dakota Zoo in Bismarck features a Bear Habitat, River Otter exhibit and Canine and small animal exhibits. There are also exhibits of Moose, Mountain Goat, Mountain Lion, Bobcat, and Lynx. Tour the Zoo on the Tribune Express or the Leach Express for a train ride through the zoo. Don't miss the Discovery Center.

Learn about the animal world at the Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot. Features animal exhibits and educational programs.

Located in Wahpeton, the Chahinkapa Zoo features over 200 animals and birds of 60 different species including otters, bison, monkeys, gibbon apes, camels, snow leopards, black bears, wallabies, cougars, gemsbok, llamas, elk and Siberian tigers, make the zoo their home.

The North Country National Scenic Trail links scenic, natural, historic, and cultural areas in seven northern states. The approximately four thousand mile long trail incudes a variety of hikes from easy walking to challenging treks. When completed, through the efforts of many people, the trail will become the longest continuous hiking trail in the United States. From the Missouri River in North Dakota to the shores of Lake Champlain in New York, the trail allows hikers to experience a variety of features, from clear-flowing streams, to thick Northern woods, from vast prairies to clean lakes.

ExploraVision is a competition for all students in grades K-12 attending a school in the U.S., Canada, U.S. Territory or a Department of Defense school. Homeschooled students are eligible to enter. It is designed to encourage students to combine their imagination with their knowledge of science and technology to explore visions of the future. Teams of students select a technology, research how it works and why it was invented, and then project how that technology may change in the future. They must then identify what breakthroughs are required for their vision to become a reality and describe the positive and negative consequences of their technology on society. Winning ideas have focused on things as simple as ballpoint pens and as complex as satellite communications. The student teams write a paper and draw a series of Web page graphics to describe their idea. Regional winners make a Web site and a prototype of their future vision.

Join over 74,000 fifth grade classrooms and home schools across America in the Arbor Day National Poster Contest. The theme chosen will increase your students’ knowledge of how trees produce and conserve energy. The free Activity Guide includes activities to use with fifth grade students to teach the importance of trees in producing and conserving energy. These activities correlate with National Science and Social Study Standards. The Guide also includes all of the information you need for poster contest participation.