Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Biosphere Reserve
Posted by: 
trailhound1
N 35° 36.644 W 083° 25.478
17S E 280383 N 3943481
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is recognized as part of the international network of Biosphere REserves as an example of its protection of major ecosystem types and its devotion to conservation of nature and scientific research.
Waymark Code: WMAZVP
Location: Tennessee, United States
Date Posted: 03/17/2011
Views: 36
On 26 October 1976 the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was designated by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization for the Program on Man and the Biosphere as an international biosphere reserve.
Stretching over more than 200,000 ha, this exceptionally beautiful park is home to more than 3,500 plant species, including almost as many trees (130 natural species) as in all of Europe. Many endangered animal species are also found there, including what is probably the greatest variety of salamanders in the world. Since the park is relatively untouched, it gives an idea of temperate flora before the influence of humankind. This Biosphere Reserve includes the counties of Cocke, Blount, and Sevier in the State of Tennessee; and the counties of Swain and Haywood in the state of North Carolina.
Biosphere reserves are sites established by countries and recognized to promote sustainable development based on local community efforts and sound science. As places that seek to reconcile conservation of biological and cultural diversity and economic and social development through partnerships between people and nature, they are ideal to test and demonstrate innovative approaches to sustainable development from local to international scales.
Biosphere reserves are thus globally considered as:
sites of excellence where new and optimal practices to manage nature and human activities are tested and demonstrated;
tools to help countries implement the results of the World Summit on Sustainable Development and, in particular, the Convention on Biological Diversity and its Ecosystem Approach;
learning sites for the UN Decade on Education for Sustainable Development.
After their designation, biosphere reserves remain under national sovereign jurisdiction, yet they share their experience and ideas nationally, regionally and internationally within the World Network of Biosphere Reserves (WNBR).
There are currently 564 sites in 109 countries.
Park Name: Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Historic/Cultural Park: yes
Natural Park: yes
Recreation Area: yes
Wildlife Refuge: yes
Other Park Type not listed above:
National Park
Park Website: [Web Link]
Type of Listing: Plaque/Educational Display
Fees in Local Currency: 0.00 (listed in local currency)
Dates of Access: From: 01/01/2011 To: 12/31/2011
Hiking: yes
Camping: yes
Bicycling: yes
Horseback Riding: yes
Off-Roading: no
Swimming: yes
Snorkling/Scuba: no
Boating: no
Rock Climbing: no
Fishing: yes
Other Type Detail: Not listed
Hours available: Not listed
Other Activities: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:A log will require a recent photograph at the coordinates. Some of these locations will be placed for the scenery, so a gpsr will just ruin the picture.
If you don't have a digital camera post a descriptive log.