A GEOSCIENTIST IN THE BIOSPHERE: INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS IN THE MAMMOTH CAVE BIOSPHERE REGION

Mammoth Cave National Park, home to the world’s longest known cave system, is well-known for its geological, biological, and cultural resources. One of the most important of these resources is water, which flows underground forming cave passageways and meanders on the surface along the scenic Green River. Yet, most of the water that flows through the park comes from areas outside the protection that a national park provides. In order to protect groundwater quality in this internationally renowned karst landscape, Mammoth Cave National Park partnered with surrounding communities to form an agreement to create the Mammoth Cave Biosphere Region (MCBR) as part of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Man and the Biosphere (MAB) program. For thirty years the MCBR has been fostering partnerships that promote conservation and sustainable development as it relates to groundwater quality in the region.

Due to the importance of the regional geology and hydrology to the significance of the karst landscape, geoscience has an important role to play in the MCBR. Through the Geological Society of America Geoscientists in the Parks (GIP) Program, a Guest Scientist has been supporting numerous projects in research and community outreach in the MCBR. The Guest Scientist has assisted with hydrological studies with researchers at Western Kentucky University which have helped elucidate the groundwater flow patterns in the region and are helping to identify where vulnerable communities do not have access to safe drinking water. The Guest Scientist has also contributed to projects with the Barren River Area Development District to promote economic growth through ecotourism in the local communities. The ongoing work through the GIP program in the MCBR uses applied geoscience knowledge to inform community decisions and resource management planning and exemplifies the relevance of the geosciences to thriving, sustainable communities.