Nature Conservancy Protects Cave River Valley

Conservancy Works with DNR and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services to Secure Important Bat Habitat Acquisition to be Managed by Spring Mill State Park

CAMPBELLSBURG, INDIANA — Southern Indiana is famed for its rolling hills and vast caves. Several extensive caves in Washington County recently were permanently protected, which means that the rare and endangered animals—particularly the Indiana bat—that call these caves home have also received protection.

The Nature Conservancy, working with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ Division of State Parks and Reservoirs and Fish & Wildlife and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, purchased approximately 316 acres known as Cave River Valley from Cave River Valley LLC. Without a doubt the most noteworthy feature of the property is its caves. Two scenic and significant caves accentuate the valley. The first, River Cave, has 3,900 feet of underground stream passages where a population of the state-endangered northern cavefish is found. The second, Endless Cave, is 6,900 feet in length harboring an important colony of hibernating Indiana bats.

“Cave River Valley presented a wonderful opportunity for The Nature Conservancy to preserve critical habitat for several cave species and the threatened Indiana bat,” said Mary McConnell, state director for the Conservancy’s Indiana Chapter. “Areas that contain populations of both Indiana bats and northern cavefish are extremely rare and therefore the protection of these areas present us with a nearly unparalleled opportunity for cave conservation in Indiana. Equally important is the additional recreation opportunities this land will provide to Hoosiers for generations to come.”

In recent years Cave River Valley has become increasingly important for hibernating Indiana bats. Prior to 1990 few Indiana bats were known to hibernate here, but since that time the number has grown significantly. By 2007, almost 1,700 Indiana bats were found here along with an additional 1,500 little brown bats and 200 bats of other species. Endless Cave is the eighth most important Indiana bat hibernaculum in the state and the second largest little brown bat hibernaculum.

The Division of State Parks and Reservoirs is applying for Indiana Heritage Trust funds that will allow the DNR to purchase the property from The Nature Conservancy in the coming months. Financial partners include The Nature Conservancy, the DNR’s Divisions of Nature Preserves and Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Nature Conservancy will transfer the property to the Division of State Parks and Reservoirs in the coming months.

Spring Mill State Park will be assuming temporary management during this process. “The DNR understands the significance of this site, both from a natural heritage perspective and from a human perspective,” said Ginger Murphy from the Division of State Parks and Reservoirs. “We want to provide recreational access for the caving community, but we are also accepting responsibility for managing the unique and fragile natural communities at the site.” Caving will be allowed on the property, but the site will be temporarily closed, as all partners further assess the management needs and plan the work needed to reopen it next year.

For more information on the Cave River Valley acquisition, check out the Frequently Asked Questions.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.