The Upper Green River Biological Preserve comprises 1200 acres of land located on both banks of the Green River in Hart County, Kentucky, about 2 miles upriver of Mammoth Cave National Park. The mission of the WKU Upper Green River Biological Preserve is to foster knowledge and protection of this diverse region and our natural heritage through research, education, and conservation. The habitats of the Preserve include bottomlands, uplands, barrens, caves, limestone glades, and of course, the river itself. The upper Green River and its tributaries are centers of diversity for freshwater mussels and fish, hosting 109 fish species and nearly 60 mussel species. The Preserve lands surround several mussel beds, including one where five federally listed endangered mussels have been documented. A large spring known as McCoy Blue Hole is located on the northern tract of land; it empties an underground karst drainage of 34 mi2, and an endangered cave shrimp has been recorded from the groundwater basin that feeds this spring. A federally endangered bat species has been recorded from a cave on the Preserve property. The Preserve also provides critical breeding and migratory habitat for neotropical songbirds along the Green River Corridor.

Customized identification guides Ferns Grasses Butterflies Mammals Trees Wildflowers Moths Birds Checklists with images, maps, and links Plants -- need images Albums of site participants Meier, Albert -- [edit] More information how-to video progress and technology future proposal

Photograph by John Andersland Phacelia purshii Miami Mist

Contacts

• Nancy Lowe, Outreach Coordinator, Discover Life -- nancy@discoverlife.org -- 404-272-4526