Think of Death Valley wildlife and you think of....well, rattlesnakes perhaps. But the park has a population of bobcats, as a visitor and Furnace Creek resort employee learned recently when they were attacked by two of the felines.

Politics stalked the national park system throughout 2007. From snowmobiles in Yellowstone to off-road vehicles in Big Cypress, it seemed natural resources and careful stewardship were trumped too often.

Judging from the lobbying that revolves around the national parks, it's easy to see that local interests view the parks as local treasures, not the national jewels that they are. At the Association of National Park Rangers, President-elect Scott McElveen would like to see that change.

2007 is just about history. 2008, though, is still unvarnished, full of hope and promise. With that in mind, what will the new year bring to the national park system? Here's some wishful thinking....