The 2020 Mammoth Cave Natural Resource Condition Assessment
Session Type
Technical Sessions: Conservation Tools
Start Date
18-8-2020 12:15 PM
Description
A new, comprehensive analysis of Mammoth Cave National Park and its resources concludes that this is a well understood, well cared for, and carefully protected national park. Many resources are in good condition or even improving. Improvements in regional coal combustion have, for example, raised rainfall pH by a whole unit, dropped rain SO4 by 75%, and improved visibility. The Green River has nationally significant biodiversity, and the park protects threatened and endangered species, sensitive wetlands and rare plants. There are also challenges: White Nose Syndrome has killed at least 70% of at least three species of bats (though other species may be filling these niches), emerald ash borers threaten the park’s ash trees, and one day hemlock wooly adelgids may impact the beautiful hemlocks of Bylew Creek. The largest threat to the underground landscape is contamination draining agricultural and other land use from outside of the park. Interrelation-ships become clear in this kind of holistic examination. Slender glass lizards and some bird species, once relatively common in the pre-park open farmland, are being extirpated as forest trees take over. Where possible, conclusions are based on quantitative data. The view of the Milky Way streaming across the park’s beautiful dark sky is increasingly rare in the eastern US: most of the park has a Class 4 rating on the Bortle Scale as well as consistent Unihedron Sky Quality Meter (SQM) readings over 21.0, which qualify it for Silver Tier Status from the International Dark Skies Association for “exemplary nighttime landscapes.”
Recommended Citation
Webb,, Cathleen Presenter, "The 2020 Mammoth Cave Natural Resource Condition Assessment" (2020). Conservation of Fragile Karst Resources Proceedings. 7.
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/con_karst_res_proc/con_karst_pro_2020/day_one/7
The 2020 Mammoth Cave Natural Resource Condition Assessment
A new, comprehensive analysis of Mammoth Cave National Park and its resources concludes that this is a well understood, well cared for, and carefully protected national park. Many resources are in good condition or even improving. Improvements in regional coal combustion have, for example, raised rainfall pH by a whole unit, dropped rain SO4 by 75%, and improved visibility. The Green River has nationally significant biodiversity, and the park protects threatened and endangered species, sensitive wetlands and rare plants. There are also challenges: White Nose Syndrome has killed at least 70% of at least three species of bats (though other species may be filling these niches), emerald ash borers threaten the park’s ash trees, and one day hemlock wooly adelgids may impact the beautiful hemlocks of Bylew Creek. The largest threat to the underground landscape is contamination draining agricultural and other land use from outside of the park. Interrelation-ships become clear in this kind of holistic examination. Slender glass lizards and some bird species, once relatively common in the pre-park open farmland, are being extirpated as forest trees take over. Where possible, conclusions are based on quantitative data. The view of the Milky Way streaming across the park’s beautiful dark sky is increasingly rare in the eastern US: most of the park has a Class 4 rating on the Bortle Scale as well as consistent Unihedron Sky Quality Meter (SQM) readings over 21.0, which qualify it for Silver Tier Status from the International Dark Skies Association for “exemplary nighttime landscapes.”
Comments
This presentation was part of the Technical Sessions on Conservation Tools. Presentation topics ranged from cave conservation techniques, environmental education, community engagement, resource protection assessment, and scientific and cultural research from across the globe. Formats vary from traditional PowerPoints to films to story maps and informal interviews.