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This county owned nature area protects more than one mile of Green River frontage which is a global conservation priority because it is home to a rich and diverse aquatic fauna including 151 fish species, 71 mussels and numerous cave plants and animals.  The upper Green is the main drainage in the central karst region which is home to the world’s largest cave system, Mammoth Cave and Kentucky’s largest spring.  There are four distinct springs at Glenview and each one cascades down the rich wooded slopes to the Green River.  Rare aquatic species found in the water include the federally endangered fanshell mussel, the state threatened rabbitsfoot mussel, and the state special concern stargazing minnow plus threadfoot, a state special concern plant that occurs in riffles in high quality aquatic systems.   Other documented rare species include the state threatened nodding rattlesnake root,  and state special concern spreading false foxglove and Henslow’s sparrows.  Within the aquatic system there are a series of small scoured banks, riffles, and sand or gravel bars that are dominated by water willow, water-hemp, lowland thoroughwort, and marsh rice grass and the steep banks by the river are dominated by wild oats, wild rye grasses, and rice grass.  This is a rich and diverse nature preserve as more than 359 plant species have been observed. The riparian forest adjacent to the river contains much mature forest and large trees dominated by large boxelder, silver maple, green ash, black walnut and hackberry.  There are large patches of paw paw and wild cane in the understory as well as pea-vine, wild rye grasses, and wood nettle.  The forest above the riparian zone on the terraces is dominated by American beech, shumard oak, tulip poplar, sweetgum, blackgum, white elm, bitternut hickory, shellbark hickory, and black walnut which tend to dominate in some areas.  The steeper lower moist forest above the terraces is mature and dominated by sugar maple, bitternut, and shagbark hickory, black walnut, hackberry, and northern red and chinquapin oak.  Wild cane, hornbeam, hop-hornbeam, spicebush, bladdernut, and coral-berry dominate the shrub layer.  The wildflowers are typical of previously grazed woodlands and are dominated by more weedy species although there are significant patches of nice spring wildflowers including wild hyacinth, bloodroot, squirrel corn, dwarf larkspur, blue phlox, shooting star, wild ginger, spring beauty, waterleaf, and Solomon’s seal.


Access: 

Not open to the public at this time due to lack of vehicular access, a paddling trail is under development to allow access from the Green River by canoe or kayak.

Access Type: By Appointment Only
County: Green
Region: Green River Region
Size: 168.07
Owner: Green County Fiscal Court
Manager:
Purchased with Assistance of:
Lat: 37.282207
Long: -85.59866
Image of Terrapin Creek

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Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet
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