Clover Hollow Natural Area Preserve, Protected area in Giles County, Virginia, United States.
Clover Hollow Natural Area Preserve is a protected site in Giles County, Virginia, spanning roughly 25 acres with an old farm field transforming into forest and the Stay High Cave system beneath it. The surface displays diverse habitats while the cave network below contains a separate underground ecosystem.
A comprehensive biological survey of Stay High Cave was conducted in 1994 after a proposed power line corridor threatened the area. This assessment revealed the site's importance as a habitat for rare species and led to its protection.
The site is managed to protect specialized cave-dwelling creatures that live nowhere else in the region. These hidden inhabitants shape how the preserve is cared for today.
Entry to this site requires advance permission from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, as visits are limited to research and monitoring work. The preserve does not operate as a public recreation area and is restricted to specialists and approved studies.
Three of the seven rare invertebrate species inhabiting Stay High Cave exist only in the Sinking Creek Valley. These creatures are found nowhere else on Earth, making this valley section scientifically significant.
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