Kope Hollow Preserve is geologically significant—featuring excellent examples of the Kope rock formation—and is a place where a unique variety of native wildflowers grow. This land lies on a hillside and is home to hundreds of native plant species as well as a remarkable variety of fauna. This landscape in Southwest Ohio gives us a window into what the state looked like 500 years ago.

This preserve contains an excellent example of the famous geological feature, the Kope Formation: alternating layers of shale (made of clay which has dried) and limestone, generally about three parts shale to one part limestone. Its depositional environment was at a time with the central North American continent was a tropical epeiric sea. This explains the high occurrence of trilobites and associated fossils found on the site. In the National Geologic Map Database by USGS, the Kope Formation unit is named for Kope Hollow, Brown County Ohio – exactly where our preserve is located. In addition, there are more than 10 waterfalls on the property that are amazing! Protecting the riparian area and the watershed encompassed by this parcel will help to prevent further pollutants including sediment from entering the main stem of the Ohio River where there are many know endangered mussel beds.

This scenic property is loaded with over 50 species of wildflower. Fern-leaved Scorpion-weed, Virginia-mallow and Southern Black-haw have been seen on-site. Elephant-ear, Ebonyshell, Washboard and Ohio cave beetle have been documented on-site or within 1 mile. The riparian area contains mature hardwood trees that provide important habitat for several bird species; including neo-tropical migratory birds.