In 1986, the US Man and the Biosphere (MAB) National Committee endorsed the nomination of the Southern Appalachian Biosphere Reserve and initiated planning of a model biosphere reserve regional project. Also in 1986, the National Park Service's Southeast Regional Director proposed pilot projects in Cooperative system planning be used in the Southern Appalachians. He described the critical problems facing this region as "...increasing urbanization, pollution, competition for consumptive resources, and the shrinking of personnel and fiscal resources." He stressed the need to begin a process of identifying regional issues and developing objectives and strategies to address them on a scale reaching beyond park boundaries, indicating that "...these efforts should draw their strength from interagency cooperation aimed at achieving common goals - - an ecosystem approach which should be discussed with leaders of the area."
In 1988 Southern Appalachia was officially designated a multi-unit regional biosphere reserve. In the 1986 through 1988 period, some leaders in the region felt sure this designation would be forthcoming and they began work to put an organization into place to:
Encourage informed use of the area's natural resources and to foster environmental research, education, and training; Promote knowledge and understanding of the natural and cultural resources of the region; and Build a model of cooperative, integrated regional resource management.
In August 1988, six federal agencies signed an "Interagency and Cooperative Agreement for the Establishment and Operation of the Southern Appalachian Man and the Biosphere Cooperative." The signatories of this agreement were: U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Economic Development Administration, Department of Energy-Ecological Sciences Division (ORNL), and the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Agreement includes a statement of work which empowered the SAMAB Cooperative Executive Committee to establish a Southern Appalachian Biosphere Reserve coordinating office.
It should be noted that signing the cooperative agreement did not commit an agency to any level of financial or in-kind support. This responsibility was delegated to the Executive Committee.
In mid 1989, a coordinating office was established at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) and a part-time executive director (manager) for that office was named.
Presently the SAMAB Cooperative office is staffed with a full time executive director and a full time environmental planner.