Mammoth Cave National Park is a crown jewel for tourism and history. Any move that expands and protects the area and wildlife in the park is a plus.

Legislation introduced by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Rep. Brett Guthrie, also a Kentucky Republican, would allow the park to expand its boundaries by nearly 1,000 acres.

“Beyond its role in driving tourism to our commonwealth, the park also plays a crucial role in the region’s economic growth, supporting good jobs for the people of Kentucky,” McConnell said in a release. “I’m proud to partner with Congressman Guthrie on this important initiative once again which will expand the critical habitats that the National Park Service protects and preserves in the park.”

The idea behind the legislation is “continued resource protection of caves and the environment around the Mammoth Cave area,” said park liaison Molly Schroer.

The park is comprised of some 52,000 acres, so adding 1,000 or so acres is not a huge addition area wise. However, it does expand the buffer between park land and the public and the change would encompass two additional caves, which harbor up to 200,000 federally endangered gray bats.

One of the caves, Schroer said, is designated as a critical habitat for the endangered Indiana bat. The legislation, if passed, will put those animals under further protection within the park.

No new trails are in the works. It is “a sensitive resource,” Schroer said, that should be protected and maintained from any encroaching development in the future.

Mammoth Cave National Park is an important area in many ways and we are happy steps are being taken to further protect the wildlife and maintain the integrity of the park’s mission to protect endangered wildlife.