▁park ▁in ▁the ▁UK ▁to ▁be ▁recogn ised ▁by ▁the ▁European ▁Ge op arks ▁Network ▁( EG N ). ▁This ▁allocation ▁was ▁due ▁in ▁part ▁to ▁the ▁existence ▁of ▁the ▁c aves ▁themselves ▁and ▁also ▁the ▁rare ▁blank et ▁bog ▁which ▁covers ▁a ▁vast ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁mountains . ▁Under ▁an ▁agreement ▁between ▁the ▁E GN ▁and ▁the ▁UN ES CO ▁Earth ▁Sciences ▁division ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁the ▁park ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Global ▁Network ▁of ▁National ▁Ge op arks ▁( G GN ) ▁scheme ▁and ▁was ▁renamed ▁Mar ble ▁Arch ▁C aves ▁Global ▁Ge op ark . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁the ▁park ▁boundaries ▁were ▁extended ▁across ▁the ▁border ▁into ▁parts ▁of ▁County ▁Cav an ▁in ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Ireland , ▁making ▁it ▁the ▁first ▁international ▁Ge op ark ▁in ▁the ▁world . ▁ ▁Conserv ation ▁issues ▁▁ ▁The ▁cutting ▁of ▁tur f ▁has ▁led ▁to ▁damage ▁in ▁the ▁area . ▁Ext ensive ▁d rain age ▁in ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁bog ▁has ▁dam aged ▁the ▁bog ' s ▁ability ▁to ▁retain ▁water , ▁resulting ▁in ▁flo oding ▁and ▁ab norm ally ▁high ▁water ▁levels ▁in ▁the ▁c aves ▁down stream . ▁This ▁has ▁imp eded ▁tour ist ▁activity ▁in ▁the ▁past , ▁not ably ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁when ▁the ▁impact ▁of ▁such ▁damage ▁influen cing ▁cave ▁water ▁levels ▁first ▁became ▁evident . ▁As ▁a ▁protect ive ▁measure , ▁tur f ▁cutting ▁has ▁been ▁b anned ▁within ▁the ▁wider ▁Ge op ark . ▁In