Some of the hardest workers in our rivers never move. Freshwater mussels, known locally as “river livers,” sit on the streambed and quietly filter the water around them. They are also among the most threatened animals on the planet. On November 16, you can learn what Pennsylvania is doing to save them.
Mussels earned the nickname “river livers” honestly. Like the organ they are named for, they clean what passes through them, straining out algae, sediment, and pollutants and leaving the water clearer behind them. Where mussels thrive, the water is usually healthy. Where they vanish, it is a warning sign for the whole watershed.
Pennsylvania’s New “River Livers” Plan
What you will learn
Join the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy for a free lunchtime webinar on the new Pennsylvania Freshwater Mussel Conservation Plan, developed through research by WPC and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. It is a pioneering effort to protect and restore these animals across the state. The session covers why mussels matter to watershed health, which water quality indicators need attention, the conservation strategies now in motion, and practical steps any of us can take to cut pollution and invasive species in our local waterways.
Cannot make it live? Register anyway. Everyone who signs up will receive a link to watch the recording afterward.
Register for the Mussels Webinar
Learn more at the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy event page.
