Few wild places existing in North America today that exhibit such a wide diversity of flora, fauna, and geomorphic conditions as the Cache River Basin in southern Illinois. Moreover, few such areas have withstood the on-going onslaught of humanity’s attempts to “tame” the land. Still fewer wild places are given the opportunity to return from the brink of elimination. The Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge, located in the heart of the Cache River Basin, is one of the last remnants of a uniquely diverse environment that can, to a large extent, be returned to a functioning ecosystem.
The Cypress Creek National Wildlife Refuge will someday be a 35,000 acre contiguous tract of land pieced together by connecting remnants of cypress-tupelo swamps, oak barrens, buttonbush groves, and vast stands of bottomland forests. The foreseeable future is one of preservation, acquisition of land, reforestation, intensive management, and people enjoying the bounty of this rare resource.
Wildlife abundance and high quality facilities will attract thousands of visitors each year. Partners will collaborate to provide a wide range of environmental programs and activities. Local communities will enthusiastically identify and promote the area as a regional tourist destination that contributes to economic development and enhances the quality of life in southern Illinois.