Narrator: THE BADLANDS OF NORTH DAKOTA PROVIDE THE SETTING FOR A VISIT TO THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK-- NEXT, ON NATURE SCENE.

A PRODUCTION OF: NATURE SCENE IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY A GENEROUS GRANT FROM SANTEE COOPER WHERE PROTECTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF OUR ENVIRONMENT ARE EQUAL IN IMPORTANCE TO PROVIDING ELECTRIC ENERGY.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING IS PROVIDED BY THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU MEMBERS OF THE ETV ENDOWMENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

♪ HELLO, AND WELCOME TO NATURE SCENE AT THE ONLY U.S. PARK NAMED AFTER A PERSON-- THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK NEAR MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA.

I'M JIM WELCH WITH NATURALIST RUDY MANCKE AND WE'RE HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF NORTH DAKOTA BADLANDS.

ALL AROUND US, WE SEE SOME GREEN.

YEAH, I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A WONDERFUL TRIP AND REALLY A NICE TIME OF THE YEAR TO BE HERE-- MIDSUMMER.

IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WETTER THIS SPRING SO I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE SOME REALLY GOOD WILDFLOWERS AND TODAY WE'RE GOING TO GET A CHANCE TO SEE BADLANDS TALK GEOLOGY A LITTLE BIT AND ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS-- THE GRASSLANDS THAT ARE SO TYPICAL OF THIS PART OF THE UNITED STATES WITH THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT YOU ASSOCIATE WITH IT.

AND, UH, I THINK THAT EXTRA MOISTURE OF THE SPRING WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN WHAT WE SEE.

AND OF COURSE, WATER DOES CHANGE THE WORLD-- THAT'S OBVIOUS EVERY TIME WE GO ANYWHERE.

AND HERE WE ARE, HIGH ABOVE THE LITTLE MISSOURI RIVER THAT IS REARRANGING NOW, THIS PART OF NORTH DAKOTA.

THIS LITTLE MISSOURI FLOWS NORTH BUT HAS CREATED A LOT OF THE LOOK THAT WE SEE.

YEAH, AND YOU CAN SEE IT'S REALLY NOT DEEP AT THIS MOMENT AND A LOT OF SILT IN THE RIVER.

BUT SLOWLY HEADING NORTH AND THEN EAST INTO THE MISSOURI.

IN THE OLD DAYS-- EARLIER DAYS-- IT FLOWED NORTH ALL THE WAY TO HUDSON BAY BUT GLACIAL ACTIVITY PUSHED IT BACK TO THE EAST AND NOW THE SOUTH.

AND YOU CAN SEE THE WAY IT'S COMING RIGHT UP AGAINST THE EDGE AND THE SLUMPING THAT OCCURS IN THESE SANDSTONES MAINLY.

WE'LL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE GEOLOGY AS WE GO TODAY.

RUDY, WHERE DID MOST OF THE MATERIAL COME FROM THAT MADE THESE HIGH BLUFFS?

WELL, REALLY, WHAT HAPPENED WAS THAT AS THE ROCKIES WERE COMING UP IN THE WEST A LOT OF EROSION OCCURRED-- THERE WERE SOME VOLCANOES TO THE WEST-- AND THAT IS REALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE, UH...

THE ROCK FORMATIONS THAT WE SEE HERE.

AND YOU CAN JUST LOOK-- I MEAN, THERE'S JUST A TREMENDOUS FLOOD PLAIN OVER ON THE SIDE HERE.

COTTONWOODS ARE THE TALL TREES THAT ARE POPPING UP.

WE'LL GET A CLOSER LOOK AT THEM A LITTLE LATER... MAYBE SOME WILLOWS AND OTHER THINGS.

AND THEN THE OTHER VIEW, I MEAN, THERE IS THE MEANDERING RIVER SLOWLY BUT SURELY REARRANGING THE, UH, THE WORLD.

RUDY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE COME TO SEE ARE THE HERDS OF BISON AND WAY OFF IN THE DISTANCE THERE IN THE YELLOW CLOVER OUT THERE I SEE SOME BISON.

OH, YEAH.

HOPEFULLY, WE'LL GET A CHANCE TO GET A CLOSER LOOK AT THEM A LITTLE BIT LATER, BUT... NOW, THAT IS A LARGE MAMMAL THAT IS TYPICAL OF THESE GRASSLANDS.

THE WIND, I GUESS COMING ACROSS THIS LITTLE MISSOURI FLOODPLAIN HAS CARVED OUT THIS WALL THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.

WELL, YOU CAN SEE, YEAH, THIS IS A CANYON-- PRETTY STEEP-WALLED, UH, AREA-- AND WIND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR IT AND PROBABLY WHEN IT REALLY RAINS HEAVILY THERE'S A LOT OF WATER THAT COMES DOWN THIS GULLY-LIKE CANYON SCRAPING THIS MATERIAL AWAY, DUMPING IT IN THE RIVER AND SENDING IT ON DOWN CREATING NOW A DIFFERENT HABITAT, RIGHT?

I MEAN, THE PRAIRIES, THE, UH, GRASSLANDS HIGH FLOODPLAIN DOWN THERE AND THEN THIS NICE LITTLE CANYON-- TOTALLY DIFFERENT HABITATS.

A LOT MORE VARIETY OF HABITATS HERE THAN YOU WOULD AT FIRST SUPPOSE.

I SEE SOME TALL TREES DOWN THERE, TOO THAT WILL BE IN THESE AREAS AND NEVER UP ON THE, UH, RIDGES.

LET'S GET STARTED.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT FIRST CAME INTO THE BADLANDS OF NORTH DAKOTA IN 1883 TO HUNT BISON, AND HE SO LOVED THE PLACE THAT HE STARTED RANCHING HERE IN 1884 BOUGHT A PIECE OF THE MALTESE CROSS AND LATER THE ELK HORN, AND STAYED FOR A FEW YEARS.

HE LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT INCLUDING THESE SIMPLE FLOWERS WE SEE IN FRONT OF US-- CONEFLOWERS.

WELL, THIS IS TYPICAL GRASSLANDS AREA HERE.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT PRAIRIE IN THIS PART OF THE UNITED STATES THIS IS WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT.

DOMINATED BY GRASSES IS THE DOMINANT FLOWERING PLANT BUT THEN THERE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT JUMP UP, YES AND THAT, UH, PRAIRIE CONEFLOWER OR UPRIGHT PRAIRIE CONEFLOWER, IS THE MOST OBVIOUS-- A MEMBER OF THE COMPOSITE FAMILY OR ASTER FAMILY.

RAY FLOWERS-- THOSE YELLOW THINGS HANGING DOWN.

LOOK AT THAT.

AND THEN THAT CONE-LIKE THING STICKING UP IN THE MIDDLE-- THE DISK FLOWER.

SO THOSE ARE CLUSTERS OF FLOWERS AND OF COURSE, INSECTS REALLY LIKE THAT.

ONE OF THE PERENNIALS THAT KEEPS COMING UP YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.

ONE OF THE SIMILAR FLOWERS, THE, UH, PURPLE CONEFLOWER.

WELL, "PURPLE CONEFLOWER" IS A REAL GOOD COMMON, UH, NAME FOR THAT.

"BLACK SAMSON" IS ANOTHER NAME THAT IT'S KNOWN AS.

IT'S VERY CLOSELY RELATED TO THE ONE WE SAW JUST A MOMENT AGO IN THE SAME FAMILY.

RAY FLOWERS HERE, THOUGH, ARE NOT YELLOW.

THEY'RE THAT PURPLISH, PINKISH PURPLE.

AND THEN THE DISK FLOWERS IN THE, UH, CENTER.

AND AGAIN, AFTER THE FLOWERS ARE GONE THAT TURNS VERY DARK.

MORE COLOR OVER HERE, RUDY-- A "BEE BALM" TYPE OF FLOWER.

A "BEE BALM" IS A GOOD COMMON NAME FOR THAT.

IT'S A MINT-- UH, GENUS NAME: MONARDA.

UH, "HORSE MINT" IS ANOTHER NAME FOR THAT AND THERE ARE A LOT OF ANIMALS THAT BROWSE ON ALL OF THESE PLANTS IN HERE.

BUT, UH, VERY INTERESTING ARRANGEMENT OF FLOWERS...

VERY ATTRACTIVE TO BUTTERFLIES.

UM, EVEN HUMMINGBIRDS WOULD STOP BY FOR A MEAL AND BEES AND SUCH.

THAT'S NICE.

I SEE ALSO DOWN HERE, NOW SOMETHING CALLED "PURPLE PRAIRIE CLOVER."

I MEAN, THAT ONE REALLY DOESN'T LOOK A LOT LIKE A MEMBER OF THE CLOVER FAMILY JUST LOOKING AT IT.

I SEE THE GROUPS OF PURPLE FLOWERS.

BUT THAT IS, UH, ONE OF THE LEGUMES AND AGAIN, TYPICAL OF SITUATIONS JUST LIKE THIS.

AND THEN, EVERY NOW AND THEN, WHEN YOU LOOK AROUND YOU SEE THESE PLANTS WITH ALMOST SILVERY LEAVES ON IT.

THAT'S ONE OF THE SCURF PEAS AND ANOTHER MEMBER, AGAIN, OF THE PEA FAMILY-- VERY COMMON IN, UH, GRASSLAND SITUATIONS LIKE THIS.

LOOK UP ON THE HILL-- WILD HORSES, RUDY, THAT... ROOSEVELT SAW HORSES HERE, OF COURSE WHEN HE RANCHED WILD HORSES.

OH, ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

THAT IS A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT.

THESE SLOPING HILLSIDES HERE-- AND AGAIN, THE GRASSLANDS-- PERFECT FOOD FOR THOSE HORSES.

AND AS YOU KNOW, NOW, HORSES DEVELOPED IN NORTH AMERICA THEN BECAME EXTINCT HERE.

UH, AND THEN THEY ESCAPEDVES AND GOT AWAY.ED BY SPANIARDS THOSE ARE FERAL HORSES.

THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL MARES WITH YOUNG AND THEN, THERE'S THE STALLION OVER TO THE SIDE-- WHITISH COLOR ON THE... ON THE MALE-- AND THAT'S HIS GROUP OF MARES, AND THOSE ARE HIS OFFSPRING.

OH, THAT IS SPECTACULAR.

AND OF COURSE, THAT ANIMAL CHANGED THE LIVES OF THE NATIVE AMERICANS THAT LIVED HERE WHEN THEY LEARNED HOW TO GET ON THEIR BACKS AND... AND RIDE.

I SEE SOMETHING ELSE OVER HERE THINKING OF NATIVE AMERICANS.

LOOK RIGHT OVER HERE ON THE SIDE...

PUSHING AGAINST THE SAND PIKE.

THAT BISON, I DIDN'T EVEN SEE HIM COME IN.

SOME CALL IT "BISON," SOME CALL IT "BUFFALO."

( Rudy laughing ) HORNS STICKING UP ON THE SIDE.

LOOK AT HIM, JUST RUBBING THERE AND THEN THE SAND SHAKING AWAY.

OH, THAT'S AMAZING, ISN'T IT?

AND AGAIN, ONE OF THOSE ANIMALS THAT THE INDIANS-- THE NATIVE AMERICANS HERE-- TOOK ADVANTAGE OF AND THEY'RE GRAZERS-- THEY'RE COMING OUT IN THE GRASSLANDS LIKE THIS AND CHANGING GRASS INTO A LARGE MAMMAL.

LOOK AT HIM EATING RIGHT THERE, CHOMPING IT.

YOU CAN ALMOST, YOU KNOW, HEAR HIM CHOMPING SLOWLY BUT SURELY, IN THAT GRASS.

THIS IS STILL GRASSLANDS BUT, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S BEEN CHANGED-- NOT BY THE HAND OF MAN, BUT BY... PRAIRIE DOGS, WHICH DOMINATE IN THIS PART OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE BLACK-TAILED PRAIRIE DOG IS THE ONE THAT'S HERE.

VERY SOCIAL ANIMAL, AND THEY DO LIVE IN TOWNS AND SEVERAL TOWNS, ACTUALLY, IN A COMMUNITY.

GET RID OF THE GRASSES AND LEAVE THE FORBS-- THESE HERBACEOUS PLANTS THAT ARE NOT GRASSES.

AND THEN YOU GET SOME STRANGE STUFF COMING IN.

YELLOW SWEET CLOVER-- NON-NATIVE-- HAS COME IN HERE.

I SEE BINDWEED-- THE WHITE FLOWERS WAY OFF IN THE DISTANCE.

UH, THAT'S A NON-NATIVE PLANT THAT COMES INTO WASTE PLACES-- WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN HERE HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE FACT THAT THE PRAIRIE DOGS OPENED THINGS UP.

BUT LOOK OVER HERE ON THE SIDE BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT PRAIRIE DOGS A LOT-- BISON-- NICE HERD OF BISON-- COMING OUT RIGHT INTO THE OPEN.

RIGHT CLOSE TO THE ROAD AS WELL.

MAINLY COWS AND CALVES.

UM... OH, THOSE ARE BEAUTIFUL LITTLE CALVES, AREN'T THEY?

BORN IN, UH, APRIL OR SO, WEIGHING ABOUT 30 POUNDS AND BY WINTER, THEY'RE UP TO 400 POUNDS TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE ROUGH WINTERS.

YEAH.

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF BULLS IN THERE BUT MOST OF THOSE ARE COWS AND YOU DO SEE THAT BOTH SEXES HAVE THE, UH... HAVE THE HORNS.

THAT IS A POWERFUL ANIMAL.

THERE USED TO BE A COUPLE OF OTHER SPECIES HERE THAT WERE ACTUALLY LARGER THAN THOSE BUT THEY'RE NOW EXTINCT.

OF COURSE, THE BISON ALMOST BECAME EXTINCT.

OH, TURN OF THE CENTURY WAS DOWN TO A FEW HUNDRED ANIMALS IN THE WILD.

TODAY, IT'S...

THERE ARE OVER 100,000 HERE IN NORTH AMERICA.

THESE PRAIRIE DOGS ARE EVERYWHERE.

YOU CAN HEAR THEM SQUEALING AROUND.

IT'S JUST LIKE YOU HEAR TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD AND PEOPLE OVER IN THE PICNIC AREA CLOSE BY EVERY NOW AND THEN.

THE ANIMALS DON'T SEEM TO MIND.

YOU GET CLOSE, YOU GET A CHANCE TO SEE THAT SOCIAL BEHAVIOR THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.

I WOULD SAY PROBABLY MORE PEOPLE LOOK AT THE PRAIRIE DOGS' ACTIVITIES-- THE KISSING AND ALL THE HUGGING THAT THEY DO-- THAT GOES ON NEXT TO THE ROADS.

SOCIAL ANIMALS... AND AGAIN ONE OF THE LARGER RODENTS THAT YOU WOULD SEE IN A PLACE LIKE THIS.

AND WONDERFUL DIGGERS, LIKE THE HOLE IN FRONT OF US.

I MEAN, THEY'RE REALLY GOOD AT DIGGING DOWN IN THE GROUND AND BURROWING...

UH, IN A RATHER LARGE... LOOK AT THESE OVER HERE.

WHAT YOU GOT?

OH, YEAH.

THEIR BEHAVIOR LIKE THAT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING AND THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING GOING ON IN A PRAIRIE DOG TOWN.

THAT'S WHAT WE CALL A PLACE LIKE THIS.

PRAIRIE DOGS AREN'T THE ONLY ANIMALS LIVING IN THE TOWN.

THERE'S A BIRD OVER HERE-- LOOKS... AN OWL.

YEAH, BURROWING OWL RIGHT ON THE TOP OF THE OLD MOUND.

YEAH.

SURE ENOUGH.

SPINDLY LEGS...

TACKY LITTLE LEGS... A FUZZ BALL WITH A NECK THAT SWIVELS AROUND-- A HEAD THAT SWIVELS AROUND.

DOESN'T REALLY FEED ON, UH, ON PRAIRIE DOGS VERY OFTEN.

HE GETS OTHER RODENTS AND, UH, AND... INSECTS AS WELL AS OTHER VERTEBRATES OUT HERE IN THE OPEN.

EVERY NOW AND THEN, I IMAGINE IT WOULD TAKE A SMALL PRAIRIE DOG IF HE COULD GET IT.

THE OTHER BIRD OVER HERE I NOTICED HOPPING AROUND LIKE HE OWNS THE PLACE-- LOOK AT THE MAGPIE.

OH, GLOSSY BLACK AND GRAY-WHITE.

AND GET THAT METALLIC LOOK ON IT A LITTLE BIT.

BUT IT ALMOST LOOKS BLACK AND WHITE WHEN YOU FIRST SEE IT.

THE, UH, BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE-- PRETTY COMMON IN THIS PART OF THE UNITED STATES.

SCAVENGERS PICKING UP FOOD WHEREVER THEY CAN FIND IT.

SO MANY INTERESTING THINGS TO SEE HERE.

LOOKING RIGHT CLOSE HERE.

HERE'S ANOTHER ANIMAL THAT'S TYPICAL OF PRAIRIE DOG TOWNS-- THE PRAIRIE RATTLESNAKE.

BIG-BODIED RATTLESNAKE.

THAT'S THE ONLY POISONOUS SNAKE YOU WOULD SEE IN THIS PART OF THE UNITED STATES.

LOOK AT THE TONGUE ON THAT THING, JIM.

BLACK FORKED TONGUE.

OUT VERY DELIBERATELY PICKING UP ODOR PARTICLES OUT OF THE AIR THAT LETS THE SNAKE KNOW THERE ARE HUMANS CLOSE BY.

AND THEN THE PIT ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD SENSITIVE TO TEMPERATURE CHANGES AND THEN THAT ELLIPTICAL PUPIL IN THE EYE.

I SEE, TOO, THE STRIPES... SEE THOSE TWO STRIPES ON THE SIDE OF THE HEAD?

YES.

THAT'S TYPICAL.

AND THEN, THOSE BLOTCHES ARE WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE.

BOY, IT BLENDS IN REALLY PRETTY WELL EVEN THOUGH IT'S AGAINST A GREEN BACKGROUND.

BUT NO RATTLES.

LOOK THERE.

THERE IS NO RATTLE ON THAT RATTLESNAKE.

WHAT HAPPENED?

THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOME DAMAGE.

MAYBE A BISON STEPPED ON THE TAIL OR A HUMAN DID SOME DAMAGE TO IT.

BUT IT'S GONE, AND YOU SEE IT'S HEALED UP.

THOSE LARGER SCALES HAVE COVERED IT OFF.

BUT THAT RATTLESNAKE DOES NOT, IN FACT, HAVE A RATTLE... AND YET IT'S A RATTLESNAKE, UH, FOR SURE.

PRAIRIE RATTLESNAKE IS SHY BUT THEY DO HAVE THE VENOM.

YEAH, AND FOUND IN HIGH AND LOW PLACES HERE IT'S BEST SIMPLY TO LEAVE THEM ALONE.

Rudy: WHEN YOU'RE WALKING IN GRASSLANDS OF COURSE, THE GRASS HAS STABILIZED THE, UH, SOIL, RIGHT, AND THE ROCK BUT WHEN THE GRASSES GO AWAY UP TOP LOOK WHAT HAPPENS TO THE EROSION.

AND AGAIN, THE GRASSLANDS USED TO BE HIGHER HERE.

ALL THE MATERIAL THAT USED TO FILL THIS SPACE HAS BEEN ERODED AWAY, AND WE GET A CROSS SECTION OF WHAT IT USED TO LOOK LIKE RIGHT THERE.

IT'S INTERESTING OUT IN THE WEST, ISN'T IT?

HARDER MATERIAL ON TOP PROTECTING DIFFERENT AREAS... YEAH.

AND TUFTS OF GRASS AND... AND BUSH HOLDING IN THE REST.

DIFFERENTIAL WEATHERING.

AND I SEE SOMETHING ELSE UP THERE THAT'S STRANGE, TOO.

NOW, ANOTHER KIND OF PLANT STORY.

SEE THAT DARK LAYER?

SURE.

THAT'S LIGNITE.

THAT'S COAL.

THAT'S ONE VARIETY OF COAL THAT FORMED HERE, AGAIN AGES AGO-- MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO-- AND ALMOST EVERYTHING WE'RE LOOKING AT IS PALEOCENE IN AGE.

UH, 65 MILLION TO... TO 55 MILLION OR SO YEARS AGO THIS STUFF WAS LAID DOWN.

THERE WAS PROBABLY A LOT OF ORGANIC MATERIAL, RIGHT TO FORM THE COAL.

LUSH, TROPICAL VEGETATION.

AND THAT'S A CLUE TO THAT.

SOMETIMES THAT ACTUALLY CATCHES ON FIRE AND BURNS HERE-- WHOLE LAYERS OF IT-- AND THAT REALLY CHANGES ROCK ABOVE IT AND BELOW IT.

AND THEN YOU DO SEE... SEE THE MUD STICKING OUT THERE?

IT'S MUCH HARDER THAN THE SAND AROUND IT THE SANDSTONE AROUND IT, SO THE MUDSTONE KIND OF... WEATHERS A LITTLE MORE SLOWLY AND STICKS OUT, FORMING THOSE... HOODOOS, SOMETIMES THEY'RE CALLED OR RAIN PILLARS IS ANOTHER COMMON NAME FOR THEM.

THE BADLANDS GET ABOUT 15 INCHES OF RAIN EACH YEAR AND SO IT HELPS DECIDE THE WAY THINGS WILL LOOK, FOR SURE.

YEAH, WIND AND WATER MAKE A DIFFERENCE HERE.

WE GOT TO GET OVER A LITTLE CLOSER TO THESE HOODOOS.

THESE ARE WINDBLOWN AS WELL AS RAIN ON OCCASION, BUT...

ABSOLUTELY.

SEE, WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE HARD STUFF.

IT JUST ACTS AS A CAP AND BLOCKS THE RAIN FROM ERODING THIS MATERIAL AWAY VERY RAPIDLY.

PROTECTS IT A LITTLE AND SLOWS DOWN THE EROSION BELOW IT.

UNTIL ENOUGH GOES AND THE CAP ROCK COMES OFF...

RIGHT.

YEAH.

AND THESE COME DOWN TO NOTHING IN A FEW MORE MILLION YEARS.

AND YOU CAN EVEN GET A FEEL FOR THE LAYERING HERE AND THE STUFF WE WERE LOOKING AT BACK THERE WAS ONCE CONNECTED TO THIS, RIGHT?

IT'S JUST THAT EROSION HAS TAKEN SOME AWAY.

THERE'S A STORY IN THE ROCKS.

IT'S KIND OF HARD TO READ, THOUGH BECAUSE SOME OF THE PAGES ARE MISSING BECAUSE OF EROSION THAT CONTINUES TO GO ON YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.

HARD AS CEMENT, BUT IT'S VULNERABLE TO THE WIND AND THE RAIN.

ABSOLUTELY.

LET'S HEAD AROUND BEHIND IT.

YOU CAN IMAGINE NOW WITH ALL THAT SEDIMENT COMING IN FROM THE WEST BODIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS BECAME BURIED IN IT AND SOME OF THEM WERE ACTUALLY FOSSILIZED, JIM AND THIS IS, THIS IS MAGNIFICENT HERE, ISN'T IT?

SO THIS IS PETRIFIED WOOD.

FOSSILIZED WOOD, YEAH.

PROBABLY ONE OF THE, UH, ONE OF THE CONIFERS.

AND NOT ONLY IS IT JUST FOSSILIZED-- YOU'RE RIGHT; IT IS PETRIFIED-- IT HAS BEEN CHANGED INTO ROCK.

THE WOOD HAS BEEN REPLACED BY SILICON DIOXIDE AND I THINK YOU CAN SEE THAT REALLY CLEARLY ON THIS EDGE.

YOU SEE THAT SHINE?

THOSE LITTLE, TINY CRYSTALS THAT ARE SHINING BACK AT US.

QUARTZ CRYSTALS THAT TELL US THAT THIS WOOD WAS BURIED AND THEN WATER WITH SILICON DIOXIDE IN IT CAME IN AND THE WOOD WAS REPLACED WITH STONE.

THIS WAS A LARGE TREE, PERHAPS WHAT?

CONIFER?

HERE'S PART OF THE STUMP UP HERE.

YEAH, YOU SEE A GOOD BIG BASE ON THE THING AND IF YOU HAD ANY DOUBT THAT IT WAS FOSSILIZED WOOD JUST LOOK DOWN AT THIS END AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE TREE-RING-LIKE MARKS ON IT WHICH IS CLEARLY ORGANIC.

I MEAN, THIS WAS A LIVING THING, THEN IT DIED AND BECAME REPLACED WITH SOMETHING ELSE AND BECAME FOSSILIZED.

AND, RUDY, AGAIN, PALEOCENE TIMES.

YEAH, TELLING US AGAIN ABOUT A VERY DIFFERENT AREA THAN WE SEE TODAY.

I MEAN, WE HAVE VERY LUSH GROWTH LARGE CONIFEROUS FOREST AND THEN LOTS OF INTERESTING ANIMALS HERE AND SOME OF THEIR REMAINS HAVE BEEN FOUND, TOO.

I NOTICED OVER HERE AS WE CAME IN-- LOOK AT THE, LOOK AT THE FOSSILIZED WOOD THERE.

THE TREE-- STILL IN POSITION, IT LOOKS LIKE-- STANDING STRAIGHT UP, BURIED IN PLACE AND THEN SLOWLY BUT SURELY REPLACED WITH SILICON DIOXIDE.

SILICIFIED, IT'S CALLED.

RUDY, ANOTHER GREAT THING ABOUT ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK-- THE SCENIC DRIVE, 36 MILES TAKES YOU THROUGH AREAS SUCH AS THIS.

YEAH, EVERYTHING'S VERY, VERY ACCESSIBLE HERE AND LOTS TO SEE.

LET'S KEEP GOING.

THIS PLACE IS JUST A GREAT DEAL BEYOND THAT HOODOO EXPERIENCE WE'VE JUST HAD.

"BADLANDS" IS A GOOD COMMON NAME, REALLY.

THIS IS SPECTACULAR.

IT'S-IT'S SMALLER THAN THE SOUTH DAKOTA BADLANDS BUT IT'S HUGE WHEN YOU LOOK OUT ACROSS IT.

AND YOU, AGAIN, GET THAT LAYERING FEELING OFF IN THE DISTANCE REALIZING AS WE LOOK THIS WAY NOW THAT THOSE LAYERS USED TO BE CONNECTED, RIGHT?

AND THE WORK OF THE LITTLE MISSOURI RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES HAVE SLOWLY BUT SURELY WORN THIS ROCK AWAY AND CREATING SOME INTERESTING LITTLE COULEES AND CANYON AREAS.

DOMES AND MOUNDS AND BUTTES AND THEN THE SLOPES WITH THE, UH, I GUESS THE NORTH SLOPE HAS MORE TREES ON IT.

WELL, YOU CAN SEE IT VERY CLEARLY HERE.

THE NORTH SLOPE USUALLY IS NOT EXPOSED TO THE SUN QUITE AS LONG, SO THE MOISTURE REMAINS THERE.

PLANTS DO A LITTLE BIT BETTER AT SURVIVING THERE THAN THEY DO ON THE SOUTH-FACING SLOPE.

WE'LL SEE MORE OF THAT AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS AREA.

BUT BADLANDS REFERRING TO THE FACT THAT, REALLY NOT A LOT GREW HERE.

IT WAS HARD TO GET ACROSS A PLACE LIKE THIS AND I GUESS YOU'D ALSO LOSE CATTLE IN HERE PRETTY EASILY.

I LOVE THE LAYERS, THOUGH.

OH, SO MANY MILLIONS OF YEARS LAID DOWN THESE LAYERS.

SOME OF THAT BLUE RIDGE MATERIAL, YEAH IS THE VOLCANIC MATERIAL THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EARLIER AND I THINK IF YOU LOOK IN THERE THOSE DARK LIGNITE LINES, YOU CAN SEE AGAIN.

AND THEN THE RED, RUDY, CAUSED BY LIGNITE ON FIRE.

ISN'T THAT AMAZING?

THAT'S INTERESTING ROCK, CALLED SCORIA HERE ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT REALLY TRULY VOLCANIC ROCK.

CLINKERS MIGHT BE A BETTER NAME FOR THAT MATERIAL THAT'S PRODUCED.

PROBABLY ROCK THAT WAS BAKED, IN A SENSE BY BURNING COAL BEDS WAY BACK IN TIME.

AT LEAST THAT'S ONE OF THE EXPLANATIONS FOR IT.

BUT YOU SEE THE RED OUTCROPPING ALL ALONG THE WAY.

INTERESTING VIEW HERE, ISN'T IT?

TO SEE HOW NATURE IS CONSTANTLY REARRANGING THE WORLD.

LET'S HEAD ON OUT.

THESE NORTH-FACING SLOPES, NOW, ARE VERY DIFFERENT.

I MEAN, THIS IS A UNIQUE HABITAT HERE.

MORE GREEN BECAUSE OF MORE MOISTURE.

EVEN SOME TREES.

SURE, ABSOLUTELY, AND YOU SEE THE TREE THAT DOMINATES HERE, NOW, IS THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN JUNIPER.

REALLY, A SPECIES THAT'S PRETTY WIDESPREAD IN THIS PART OF THE UNITED STATES.

SCALY BARK, WHICH IS TYPICAL AND THEN THOSE SCALE-LIKE LEAVES, TOO AND THEN RIGHT BELOW IT LOOK AT THIS NOW.

KIND OF A GROUND JUNIPER?

GROUND JUNIPER OR COMMON JUNIPER IS THE COMMON NAME FOR THAT THING.

NEVER GETTING LARGE.

YOU SEE THE-THE LEAVES THERE ARE MORE NEEDLE-LIKE NOT SCALE-LIKE AND STAYS VERY LOW TO THE GROUND.

BUT YOU SEE IT DOES WELL HERE ESPECIALLY WHERE THERE'S A LITTLE EXTRA SEEPAGE AND THIS IS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR-FOR THAT.

ALSO, SEE-- ONE OF MY FAVORITE FLOWERS.

ONE OF THE BLUEBELLS, ALSO KNOWN AS "HAIR BELL."

BUT YOU SEE THE BLUE, BELL-SHAPED FLOWER.

IT'S HANGING DOWN.

VERY SMALL, VERY DELICATE.

OH, YEAH.

THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLANT.

IT DOES WELL EVEN IN SOME OF THE DRYER PLACES, TOO BUT THIS WOULD BE THE PERFECT PLACE FOR IT.

A CHOKECHERRY SHRUB OVER HERE.

YES, IT'S GOING TO GET A LITTLE BIT TALLER BUT ONE OF THE HARDWOODS.

BIG, NICE LEAF AND LOOK AT THE FRUIT ON IT.

VERY OBVIOUS, SUPPLYING FOOD FOR A NUMBER OF ANIMALS HERE AND THEN RIGHT BELOW IT-- "LEAFLETS THREE, LET IT BE."

THERE'S POISON IVY.

THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE ONLY PLANTS HERE THAT YOU WOULD WORRY ABOUT COMING IN CONTACT WITH BECAUSE IT DOES HAVE CONTACT POISONS AND REALLY, VERY FEW PLANTS HERE HAVE STICKERS, TOO.

BUT THAT IS A POISONOUS PLANT TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND IT'S GOOD TO BE AWARE OF IT RIGHT THERE ON THE GROUND.

RUDY, JUST BEYOND THERE THERE'S A DEER LOOKING UP AT US.

OH, MY GOODNESS.

A DOE.

LOOK AT THE EARS ON IT, TOO-- BIG.

THE SIZE OF MULE'S EARS.

A MULE DEER.

A MULE DEER.

A BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL TAKING THAT YELLOW, SWEET CLOVER AND CHANGING IT INTO MULE DEER.

ISN'T THAT AMAZING?

GOSH, THAT'S NICE.

THEY HAVE WHITE-TAILED DEER HERE, TOO BUT THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL MULE DEER.

YEAH, THAT'S A BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL.

LET'S SEE IF WE CAN GET A LITTLE CLOSER TO THE RIVER.

WE'RE IN THE COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND AT THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK AND RUDY, HE WAS SUCH A CONSERVATION PRESIDENT CREATING FIVE NATIONAL PARKS AND SCORES OF NATIONAL FORESTS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES, AND NATIONAL MONUMENTS.

OH, YEAH, AND IT GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO SEE SOME WONDERFUL PARTS OF THE UNITED STATES.

THE TREES ALONG HERE, OF COURSE THAT GIVE THIS CAMPGROUND ITS NAME ARE THE COTTONWOODS AND, BOY, THERE THEY ARE.

I MEAN, THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE, DOMINATING HERE.

THEY DO BEST NEAR MOISTURE AND SOMETIMES GET TO BE VERY LARGE.

LOOK AT THE LEAVES BLOWING IN THE BREEZE.

THE STEM ON THAT LEAF IS SORT OF FLATTENED SO IT BLOWS VERY EASILY.

AND THEN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN JUNIPER IS ALSO HERE THAT WE SAW ON THE SLOPES JUST A MOMENT AGO.

THE CAMPGROUND'S A GREAT PLACE FOR BIRDS, TOO.

LOOK AT THE RED-HEADED WOODPECKER RIGHT HERE CLOSE... OH, YEAH.

RIGHT HERE, CLOSE, ON THE DEAD TREE.

OBVIOUS RED HEAD, WHITE ON THE BODY AND THEN, THAT DARKER COLOR.

OH, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

THAT'S ABOUT AS CLOSE AS I'VE EVER GOTTEN TO A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER.

BOTH SEXES HAVE BRIGHT RED HEADS IN THE ADULT SO THAT'S OBVIOUSLY AN ADULT.

AND AGAIN, THESE COTTONWOODS SERVE AS A GOOD PLACE TO NEST AND TO FIND FOOD.

OH, THAT'S NICE.

LOOK UP HERE-- A LITTLE CREEPER OR A NUTHATCH.

WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, ALMOST... REALLY, IT'S UPSIDE DOWN, ISN'T IT?

PECKING INTO THE DEAD PART ON THAT COTTONWOOD PROBABLY GETTING SOME INSECTS TO CHANGE INTO NUTHATCH.

THEY ALSO ARE CAVITY NESTERS, NOW.

OH, THAT'S NEAT.

LONG BEAK ON THAT THING AND THEN WHITE-BREASTED IS A GOOD... YOU KNOW REALLY GOOD COMMON NAME FOR IT.

WELL, THEY SAY ABOUT 200 DIFFERENT BIRDS CAN FREQUENT THIS AREA.

YEAH.

YOU GOT YOUR GLASSES-- LOOK RIGHT UP HERE.

IMMATURE ORIOLE, I THINK SITTING ON THE BRANCH IN THE COTTONWOOD.

SEE IT UP THERE?

OH, YEAH.

AND THERE COMES THE ADULT, LOOK FEEDING RIGHT THERE, REAL QUICKLY.

DARK HEAD AND ORANGE, THAT LOOKS LIKE THE NORTHERN ORIOLE.

OH, THAT'S INTERESTING.

WAY UP IN THE TOP OF THE TREE.

VERY QUICK FEEDING.

OH, YEAH, AND AGAIN, THAT BIRD IS ALREADY FLEDGED AND LEFT THE NEST FOR SOME TIME.

YOU KNOW, RUDY THE CAMPGROUNDS HAVE ALWAYS GIVEN US A GOOD LOOK AT BIRDS, AND THIS IS NO EXCEPTION.

OH, ABSOLUTELY TRUE AND THEY'LL ALSO GIVE US A CHANCE TO GET A CLOSE LOOK AT THE LITTLE MISSOURI RIVER.

IT'S BEEN A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR A VISIT HERE AND EVEN THOUGH JULY IS A TIME WHEN MOST FOLKS DO COME FOR THEIR VACATIONS TO THE PARK WE FELT VERY CLOSE TO A WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE.

YEAH, I THINK THE LOOP ROAD IS LONG ENOUGH TO, YOU KNOW SPREAD PEOPLE OUT A LITTLE BIT.

WE'VE SEEN EXACTLY WHAT WE HAD HOPED TO SEE STARTING AT THE TOP WITH A VIEW OF THE LITTLE MISSOURI RIVER AND NOW WE'RE ABLE TO GET RIGHT DOWN TO THE EDGE.

ISN'T THIS NICE?

KIND OF MUDDY OR SILTY, RUDY.

IT'S PRETTY.

CARRYING A LOT OF DEBRIS HEADING DOWN IN THIS DIRECTION.

AGAIN, REARRANGING THOSE HILLS IN THE DISTANCE AND THEN YOU TURN AROUND AND LOOK THIS WAY AND YOU SEE THE SAME REARRANGED HILLSIDE.

I MEAN, THIS RIVER CONTINUES TO RESHAPE THIS RATHER LARGE VALLEY AND, OF COURSE, WATER MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE, DOESN'T IT?

I MEAN, IT REALLY, REALLY KEEPS THE PLANTS GOING ALONG THE SIDE.

THIS HAS REALLY BEEN A WONDERFUL DAY BECAUSE WE'VE HAD A CHANCE TO TAKE A LOOK AT GRASSLANDS THAT WE ASSOCIATE WITH YOU KNOW, THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS AND THE ANIMALS THAT I'D HOPED TO SEE SHOWED UP, TOO SO THAT WAS REALLY NICE.

WELL, IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT LOVED THIS PLACE.

OH, ABSOLUTELY.

THIS IS THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK NEAR MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA.

70,000 ACRES.

THERE'S SO MUCH TO SEE.

YOU SHOULD COME AND VISIT FOR YOURSELF.

AND JOIN US AGAIN ON THE NEXT NATURE SCENE.

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