The All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory currently underway is one of the most fascinating scientific projects ever undertaken in the Smokies, one whose value is evident at many levels.

The inventory is an attempt to record every species of plant and animal that exists in the 500,000-acre wilderness that is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Though many wonder how living animals could go undetected right under our noses, suffice to it say they have. Since the inventory started four years ago, 2,500 species new to the park and 300 unknown anywhere have been discovered.

The value to science and the scientific community of this project should not be underestimated. Taking one plot of earth — one that happens to be about as diverse as any place on the planet — and trying to name, categorize and document every living organism is a gargantuan task. World-renowned scientists are taking part, and knowledge gleaned from some of the yet-to-be discovered organisms could hold immense promise for medicine or manufacturing.

But the importance of this project extends well beyond its importance to pure science. It is also about building community. As the Purchase Educational Center on the park’s boundary with Haywood County has come to fruition, it is becoming a center of learning for students of all ages. Even untrained children can collect samples and record data, and the school groups who have taken part are a key part of this project.

These students are learning as much as we could hope. Aside from building an affinity for this park and wilderness areas in general, they are learning first-hand how the actions of humans can affect delicate ecosystems. In the years to come, the challenges these youths will face in protecting the environment will far outweigh what we are having to deal with today. Everything they learn will be valuable.

Aside from the scientists and volunteers, there is a third key player in the ATBI — the corporate and organizational sponsors. This project could not succeed without the generous support of groups like the Friends of the Smokies and the corporate sponsors who donate money via this organization. The success of this partnership should serve as an inspiration to private citizens and corporate groups to do their part in contributing funds to organizations who shoulder the financial load of studies like this.

Some projects are worthy in and of themselves. While we hope the discoveries made during the ATBI will one prove tangibly beneficial to humans, it really doesn’t matter. We are proving in the Smokies that science and education can come together in new ways to build community. That is reason enough to wish this project continued success.