Since its founding in 1916, the National Park Service has been charged with the task of preserving a remarkable wealth of forests, rivers, lakes, mountains, deserts, grasslands, and the plants and animals that live there. Within these landscapes are protected ecosystems that provide some of the finest natural laboratories on earth, unique recreational opportunities, and unparalleled opportunities to study and learn about natural processes and the effects of human activities on the resources around us. These landscapes also provide some of our greatest challenges in terms of protection.