Nature & Science

The Cuyahoga River winds its way through Cuyahoga Valley National Park.

NPS

The Cuyahoga River Valley

Twenty-five miles of the Cuyahoga River wind and weave through the Cuyahoga Valley, forming the backbone of Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The river, with its associated riparian habitat, is just one element of the park’s habitat mosaic. From deciduous mixed-mesophytic forests to wetland habitats, from currently cultivated agricultural lands to older field habitats in various stages of succession, the park’s habitats provide opportunities for plants and animals to flourish.

Over 900 plant species are found in the park, as well as over 200 species of birds, 91 aquatic macroinvertebrates, 43 fish, 32 mammals, 22 amphibians, and 20 species of reptiles. Read about how our scientists inventory and monitor species to build a strong scientific foundation for the management and protection of natural resources in the park.

The national park is much more than a list of species. It contains a truly unique physical environment, formed by the mingling of two diverse geographic regions—the Appalachian Plateau and the Central Lowlands—modified by the comings and goings of multiple glaciations. High above the Cuyahoga River, the landscape is rugged, with steep-sided valleys backed by high, narrow hills. Closely spaced ravines funnel tributaries, some of which drop up to 600 feet in a distance of only a few miles, toward the crooked river.

 

 

Natural History Topics

Learn about the spectacular wildlife, botanical, and astronomical observations occurring each month.

A Poetic Inventory

The National Park Service and the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park have a long standing partnership with the Wick Poetry Center at Kent State University. Our current collaboration is a Poetic Inventory of all the life forms that make our park their home. This project was inspired by the 2016 Bioblitz held in Cuyahoga Valley as part of the National Park Service Centennial.

Science and Research in National Parks

If you are planning a university project and considering doing research in Cuyahoga Valley, permits may be required. Please visit the NPS Research Permit and Reporting System website for more information. For information about science and research across the National Park System, the following websites may be of interest:

• Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network
• Park Science
• Climate Change Response Program