World Treasure Saved

World Treasure Saved. . , "All of this offers exceptional opportunity for developimg a great national recreational park of outstanding service in the very heart of our nation's densest population." , Southern Applachian National Parks Commission , The Green River below, thses forested hills, and the cave underneath all inspired the members of the Southern Appalachian National Park Commission in 1922 to propose a new National Park in Kentucky., Following their mandate to search for new parklands, they choose the "great underground labyrinth, "the areas apparently original forest, " and "the beautiful and navigable Green River and its branch the Nolin River" worthy to rank with such treasures Shenandoah and the Great Smoky Mountains., Through the efforts of the State Legislature, the Mammoth Cave National Park Association and countless local citizens parcels of land were aquried for Mammoth Cave National Park Established in 1941., Today the park comprises 52,830 acres. More than 70 miles of hiking trails provide access to a range of forest communities containing some 84 species of tree and more than 1,000 species of flowering plants. The Green River possesses one of the most diverse fish and mussel populations in North America. The World Responds, World Heritage Site October 27, 1983 , Biosphere Reserve February 7, 1990