"We in Pittman Center have been involved with the SAMAB program
for almost five years. I want to make it clear that the SAMAB
program does not infringe upon private property rights, try to
depopulate an area, allow outsiders to direct future development,
nor bring additional regulatory pressures. Our association with
the program has resulted in many benefits to the community
especially the recognition that economic development and natural
resource protection are complementary goals not competing ones"
James B. Coykendahl, III, Board of Alderman, Pittman Center,
Tennessee. Comments to the US MAB program for publication in
their "Biosphere Reserve Pamphlet", 1994
"...in the six state region of the Southern Appalachians, which
includes my home state of Tennessee, we have a program called the
Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere program SAMAB. This
program is dedicated to finding ways for developing a sound
economy while maintaining and enhancing a healthy environment.
Through SAMAB, Federal, state and local, and public and private
institutions have developed innovative cooperative approaches to
ecosystems management and sustainable economic development. We
still have a long way to go in these areas, but I believe SAMAB
provides a useful model on a national and even international
scale"
Statement by Senator Jim Sasser commenting on the Government
Performance and Results Act of 1993
"Cooperation of all the government agencies was always very
important to me. But I'm certain that without SAMAB, many of the
positive things that have happened in our region would not have
happened"
Randall Pope, retired Superintendent, Great Smoky Mountains National
Park
" In Southern Appalachia, we take cooperation for granted. The
Parks people, the National Forest people, TVA, the wildlife
associations -- they have built a tradition of working together.
It's really mind-boggling. Forming SAMAB is another excellent
example of building on this tradition"
Bill Landry, Host of the "Heartland" series, WBIR-TV, Knoxville
"TVA is to be further commended for its continued funding of and
participation in the Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere
Consortium"
Blueprint for TVA Environmental Leadership, submitted to TVA
Board Chairman by a group of Environmental organizations,
November 1993
"SAMAB really is a world class model"
Dr. Frank McCormick, Director, Institute for International
Training in Sustainable Development, University of Tennessee -
Knoxville, in comparing his experiences in Brazil, China, and
other countries
"The Southern Appalachian Biosphere Reserve exemplifies the U.S.
modality of biosphere reserves. The modality is based on
expanding regional partnerships to discover ways to harmonize
biodiversity, cultural values, and socioeconomic development...
The Southern Appalachian experience is particularly relevant in
regions having complex land management systems, many protected
area categories and ownerships, nature conservation and resource
development. In such situations, the approach offers a useful
model for building the knowledge, skills, and commitment needed
for cooperative planning for ecosystem sustainability on a
regional landscape basis"
Dr. William Gregg, Director, International Affairs office,
National Biological Service (in a presentation to the
International Conference on Biosphere Reserves, Seville, Spain
March 1995)
"...A group of federal agencies will monitor forestlands in
portions of six states that make up the Southern Appalachian Man
and the Biosphere region...TVA's leadership in taking on this
study is a continuation of that fine tradition of service to the
region that has been part of the agency's mission since its
founding...finding a significant need in the Valley while
offering an example for the rest of the nation..."
Editorial in the Knoxville News Sentinel. July 1, 1992
"The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has scientists working on
regional-scale environmental research and monitoring programs. Of
particular relevance is their leadership in the Southern
Appalachian Man and the Biosphere program, a forward thinking
program that addresses environmental research, monitoring and
management issues on an eco-regional scale. Furthermore, the
emphasis of their work has been on cross ecosystem issues, such
as water quality and biological diversity..."
Bruce Jones, Technical Director, of EPA's Environmental
Monitoring and Assessments program (EMAP) -- Landscapes Program
"We are honored to have the opportunity to introduce you to
SAMAB, a program which is a recognized leader in achieving that
cooperation and in implementing the concepts and practices of
regional public/private partnerships...We strongly support SAMAB
and encourage your support and help"
Southeastern Natural Resource Leaders Group in an October 1994
letter to their respective headquarters' offices in Washington, DC
"With these agencies working together, we have recognized a
tremendous cost savings simply because multiple agencies are not
collecting similar data individually, but instead are doing so
jointly. This interagency approach also helps prevent
duplication of efforts which leads to more efficiency and
effective use of Assessment data."
Statement of Dr. Jack Ward Thomas, Chief, U.S. Forest Service,
before the Subcommittee on Forests and Public Land Management,
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, U.S. Senate, April 5,
1995
"Member agency personnel constitute a valuable pool of knowledge
and experience: SAMAB uses these resources as a conduit for
sharing, not only with other cooperative members, but also with
public and private land managers throughout the region. Let us
hope future managers will see the logic in working toward more
cooperation, not less."
Park Science: Integrating Research and Resource Management.
National Park Service, Volume 15 - Number 3; Summer 1995
"The Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere Cooperative,
although containing Federal agency partners, has developed an
identity separate from the agencies. This gives the Cooperative
an unique ability to forge cooperation in all aspects of science
and information dissemination. Many interviewees viewed the
Cooperative as a resource and facilitator. Individual Management
agencies might by contrast, be perceived as a threat. The
Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere Cooperative has become
accepted as a translator of technology. It facilitates science
by increasing awareness among agencies of other agencies'
missions and functions. It also helps eliminate duplication of
effort in research activities and it encourages software
compatibility for data sharing."
The Ecosystem Approach: Healthy Ecosystems and Sustainable
Economies. Report of the Office of Environmental Policy's
Interagency Ecosystem Management Task Force, volume 1, June 1995,
page 43-44