1 . NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Last year, the National Park Service (NPS) marked its 100th anniversary with a year-long celebration.

    1    . It recognized the preservation and protection of the 417 park service units. Now that those festivities have wrapped up, it’s time to look toward what the next 100 years might look like for the nation’s parks. Here’s a look at some of the major issues facing the nation s parks now and over the next century.

    2    . For example, at Shenandoah National Park, park officials note that rising temperatures in streams have already impacted native fish. They are also concerned that climate change will lead to more droughts, floods and wildfires. At Golden Gate National Recreation Area in California, park officials are predicting heat waves, coastal flooding and habitat destruction in response to climate change.

Visitors behave badly. Today, visitors still aim to make their mark on the natural and cultural resources.

    3    . But the NPS now has its own branch of law enforcement (执法) officials who are tasked with protecting those resources for and often from park visitors.

There is maintenance backlog (积压).    4    . But the donations may drop sharply and raise the possibility of handing the parks over to private corporations. With budget shortfalls and maintenance at all-time highs, it’s likely that these sorts of partnerships will only become more likely in the future.

Despite some major concerns, the future of the NPS looks promising. With a renewed level of interest, and the help of some corporate donations, the parks will be protected for the next century.    5    .