in this talk i'll present a brief history of the national parks system and discuss some of its merits and drawbacks. i will also compare and contrast it with the national forest service and bureau of land management. since notions of "merit" are inherently subjective, to balance the discussion audience members are encouraged to contribute their views on this subject. perspectives from those who have had experience with public land management systems in other countries are especially welcome. to close, we'll talk about some of the ways you can get out there and enjoy your public lands!