The National Park Service (NPS) operates under a "dual mandate" established by the Organic Act of 1916: to conserve natural and cultural resources while providing for public enjoyment in a way that leaves them "unimpaired for future generations." Environmentally, the NPS acts as a steward for over 85 million acres of land, focusing on biodiversity preservation, ecosystem restoration, and climate change monitoring. Their work includes managing invasive species, conducting controlled burns to prevent catastrophic wildfires, and protecting "emblematic species" like grizzly bears and wolves. In 2026, a major focus is "resilience"—engineering park infrastructure to withstand rising sea levels and extreme weather while protecting "dark skies" and "soundscapes" from light and noise pollution. By serving as living laboratories for scientists, national parks provide critical data on how ecosystems adapt to environmental shifts. The NPS must constantly balance the impact of 300+ million annual visitors against the biological needs of the wilderness they protect.