Critics of the National Park Service's mandate to conserve natural resources often say the national parks were not intended to be kept inside bell jars. And that's certainly not happening. Proof can be seen in how the loss of cougars is thought to be adversely affecting Yosemite National Park and the recent rush to find uranium near Grand Canyon National Park.

A settlement over off-road vehicle travel at Cape Hatteras National Seashore will not ban ORV travel, but it will restrict it at times throughout the year, according to the National Park Service.

Big Thicket National Preserve, a rich crucible of biodiversity, would double in size under legislation introduced by a congressman from Texas.

Has Yellowstone National Park's wolf recovery program, now more than a decade old, succeeded? The federal government thinks so, as evidenced by the removal of greater Yellowstone wolves from the Endangered Species List. But a coalition of conservation group differs, and has filed a lawsuit to overturn the delisting.