UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory

You are viewing an archived web page, collected at the request of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) using Archive-It. This page was captured on 18:48:19 Aug 26, 2016, and is part of the UNESCO collection. The information on this web page may be out of date. See All versions of this archived page.

Loading media information hide

			Biosphere Reserve Information
			United States of America MAMMOTH CAVE AREA


	General Description		Situated in Kentucky, the Mammoth Cave Area Biosphere Reserve represents a karst system characterized by complex underground water courses and a multilayered cave system with unique fauna and mineralization features. It is also of interest from a cultural point of view since prehistoric peoples explored and extracted minerals from the caves, used them for shelter, and cultivated the surface area. The biosphere reserve is a rural area where farming has been an economic mainstay since prehistory. In more recent times, also light industry, service industry and tourism become increasingly important for the about 67,600 people living in the biosphere reserve (1996). The most significant issue for the biosphere reserve is to achieve sustainable development that improves the economic and social well-being of local people, and is compatible with conservation values. The biosphere reserve serves as a framework for supporting the local community’s needs for economic development within the context of ecosystem management. Of particular concern to the Mammoth Cave Area is the impact of agricultural, commercial, and residential land use on ecosystems - especially with respect to the effects of groundwater pollution on cave biota. A major emphasis of the biosphere reserve programme is to assist landowners to improve their land-use practices. A Biosphere Reserve Cooperative coordinates the programme in the biosphere reserve that features monitoring for water pollution sources, establishing a regional geographic information system, and educational and cultural heritage projects.
	Major ecosystem type		Temperate broadleaf forest
	Major habitats & land cover types		Cave system; forests
	Location		37°07' to 37°17'N; 86°00' to 86°17'W
	Area (hectares)
	Total		367,979
	Core area(s)
	Buffer zone(s)
	Transition area(s) when given
	Altitude (metres above sea level)		+180 to +231
	Year designated		1990, extension 1996
	Administrative authorities		Mammoth Cave National Park/Barren River Area Development District, BRADD

	Brief description		Groundwater hydrology Water quality Agricultural effects of adjacent land use Freshwater ecosystems Atmospheric pollutants Sustainable economic development
	*Specific variables...*
	Abiotic		Acidic deposition/Acid rain, groundwater, hydrology, pollution, pollutants.
	Biodiversity		Freshwater/Inland water.
	Socio-economic		Agriculture/Production systems.
	Integrated monitoring		Impact and risk studies/Environmental impact, land use/land cover, sustainable development/sustainable use.

	Contact address		Ronald Switzer Mammoth Cave National Park PO Box 7 42259-0007 Mammoth Cave, Kentucky United States of America
	Telephone		(1.270) 749 2508
	Fax		(1.270) 749 2916
	E-mail
	Web site		www.nps.gov/maca/

	Contact address		Jack Eversole Barren River Area Development P. O. Box 90005 42102-9005 Bowling Green, Kentucky United States of America
	Telephone		(1.270) 781 2381
	Fax		(1.270) 842 0768
	E-mail		jack.eversole@BRADD.org
	Web site		www.bradd.org

	Contact address		Ruthi Steff Biosphere Reserve Advisory Council Chair P. O. Box 90005 42102-9005 Bowling Green, Kentucky United States of America
	Telephone		(1.270) 781 2381
	Fax		(1.270) 842 0768
	E-mail
	Web site		www.bradd.org

Last updated: 14/01/2002