Hurricane Helene came through western North Carolina on September 27, 2024, impacting the area of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and surrounding areas, making this edition of Carolina Journal especially impactful. In this episode we learn about the Biosphere Reserve and the importance of protecting the fragile ecology of planet Earth. Later in the program, we meet with Bob Liming of Parks, Recreation and Tourism as well as contributing editor Steve Hamm who talks about con games and financial decisions.
As the world’s population increases, more of the planet’s land is being taken up for living space or being used for industry – mining, oil drilling or lumbering. Host Mike Collins noted that there has long been a concern among environmentalists that if these trends persisted, the fragile ecosystem that allows man to live would be permanently crippled, causing extinction as we know it, and mankind as well.
To stave off this tragedy, the United Nations set aside what they called Biosphere Reserves or wilderness areas in sixty-two countries. Many of our national parks are included within those 223 biosphere reserves, including the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We are taken into a meeting to learn about the meaning of the biosphere as regards the Southern Appalachian Mountains which comprise the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The biosphere movement at the time of this episode of Carolina Journal was a very young movement and the definition of the biosphere and its purpose are still evolving. Learn more about the impact of Hurricane Helene upon the biosphere of the Great Smoky Mountains in the Side Notes below.
Bob Liming talks about the three year outreach program of the South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism to attract Western Europeans to South Carolina to enjoy the holiday opportunities available here. Beyond tourism, the initiative hopes to increase foreign companies to come and do business in the state. Steve Hamm winds up the programming giving us ten rules to help us to avoid being taken in by scams.
Side Notes
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park and World Heritage Site - Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the largest federally protected upland landmass east of the Mississippi River. No other region of equal size in a temperate climate zone can match the park’s amazing diversity of plants and animals. Over 17,000 species are documented in the park and researchers believe an additional 30,000 – 80,000 species live here.
- National Park Service Great Smoky Mountain Biosphere Reserve - A Bibliography of Scientific Studies (Document)
- EBESCO - Great Smoky Mountains - The region has a significant historical context, having faced extensive logging pressures in the early 20th century before conservation efforts led to its protection. This conservation legacy is reflected in its designation as both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve.
- Update on Great Smoky Mountains Following Hurricane Helene - National Park Service. The National Park Service (NPS) continues to assess conditions and to address damage following the impacts from Hurricane Helene in Great Smoky Mountains.
- Word From the Smokies - In the Park, the Cataloochee Saw Helene's Worst.
- Development of non-renewable resources. The development of non-renewable resources is characterized by extraction from the Earth, primarily through mining or drilling, to obtain finite resources like fossil fuels, metals, and minerals. These resources, formed over geological timescales, are used for energy production, manufacturing, and other industrial processes. While crucial for modern economies, their finite nature and environmental impacts, including resource depletion and pollution, necessitate sustainable practices and the transition to renewable alternatives.
- Sustainable Development and Nonrenewable Resources—A Multilateral Perspective
- National Geographic - Nonrenewable Resources - Nonrenewable energy resources include coal, natural gas, oil, and nuclear energy. Once these resources are used up, they cannot be replaced which is a major problem for humanity.
