Bill > HJR0488

This resolution recognizes and honors the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, highlighting its significant ecological, economic, and cultural importance. The resolution details the park's impressive features, including its 522,427 acres spanning Tennessee and North Carolina, diverse wildlife (such as being the "salamander capital of the world"), and its status as the most visited national park in the United States with 13 million recreational visits in 2023. It celebrates the park's historical preservation, tracing the efforts of early 20th-century Tennesseans like David Chapman, Ann Davis, Ben Morton, and Paul Fink who raised funds and advocated for its creation, with both Tennessee and North Carolina contributing $2 million each for land purchases. The resolution emphasizes the park's economic impact, supporting 33,748 jobs and generating over $2.2 billion annually, and notes its international recognition as an International Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site. It also acknowledges the park's official dedication by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940 and affirms Tennessee's commitment to protecting and cherishing this natural treasure, symbolizing the state's rich environmental heritage.

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HJR0488&ga=114