What's the difference between a national forest and a national park? Are park rangers and foresters the same? What guidelines exist for managing our public lands? It's clear that managing the nation's public forests is no easy task. The way that a forest manager tackles a problem may depend on what federal agency he or she works for. In this activity, students will learn more about the people and agencies that manage our public forests, and will invite a panel of local experts to address them.

Pages: 34; Preparation: 20 minutes; Duration: four 50 minute sessions; Subject: Social Studies

Explore the functions of the federal agencies that are highlighted in this activity and that have responsibility for managing the nation's public forests, describe each agency's goals, and compare and contrast the activities allowed in national parks, national forests, and wilderness areas, and then determine how well these areas serve the public.