New Publication! Freshwater Mussels and the Connecticut River Watershed

View front matter (cover and pages i-xvii) This 150-page full-color book is extensively researched, written for a non-technical audience, and beautifully illustrated. This book covers the 12 species that occur in the Connecticut River watershed, and the publication covers most species that occur in Atlantic coastal drainages from the mid-Atlantic to the Canadian Maritime Provinces. Chapter 1: Biology and Ecology Morphology Life Cycle Ecosystem Role Chapter 2: Habitat and Distribution General Habitat Habitat and Distribution in the Watershed Distribution and Human Bias Chapter 3: Status and Threats Status Threats Chapter 4: Protect and Restore Conservation Targets Conservation Strategies Chapter 5: Species Profiles About Species Profiles Terms to Know Dwarf Wedgemussel (Alasmidonta heterodon) Triangle Floater (Alasmidonta undulata) Brook Floater (Alasmidonta varicosa) Alewife Floater (Anodonta implicata) Eastern Elliptio (Elliptio complanata) Yellow Lampmussel (Lampsilis cariosa) Eastern Lampmussel (Lampsilis radiata radiata) Tidewater Mucket (Leptodea ochracea) Eastern Pondmussel (Ligumia nasuta) Eastern Pearlshell (Margaritifera margaritifera) Eastern Floater (Pyganodon cataracta) Creeper (Strophitus undulatus) Appendix 1: Strategy Resources Appendix 2: Submitting Freshwater Mussel Data Bibliography

Ordering Information

The Connecticut River Watershed Council is offering single copies of Freshwater Mussels of the Connecticut River Watershed for free to anyone willing to pick up their copy at the Greenfield (MA) or Middletown (CT) offices. A shipping fee of $5.00 is charged for any mailed copies; CRWC will mail a single copy to each requester and those wishing to obtain additional copies should make a special request. Please contact CRWC at www.ctriver.org or (413) 772-2020 ext 207 to request a copy.

How to Cite

Nedeau, E.J.  2008.  Freshwater Mussels and the Connecticut River Watershed. Connecticut River Watershed Council, Greenfield, Massachusetts.  xviii+132 pages.

Credit

The book was produced cooperatively by Biodrawversity LLC and the Connecticut River Watershed Council. The book was published with financial assistance from the following river interests and organizations: New Hampshire Fish and Game, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, The Nature Conservancy, Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, Connecticut River Joint Commissions, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Tighe & Bond, The Northeast Utilities System, and The Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation.

Writing Sample

Excerpt from the Preface, “Why Mussels and the Connecticut?”
Read entire preface

I wrote this book to raise awareness about a resource that is often overlooked and underappreciated. I wanted to share my stories from eight years that I’ve surveyed mussels in the Connecticut River watershed, and to provide a compelling case for why and how freshwater mussels—and the watershed itself—can be protected and restored. In my experience, citizens have more questions about why they should care about mussels than how many species there are or what each species looks like. Therefore, I felt that a book about mussels and the watershed would promote conservation more than a simple field guide. The book is written primarily for people without a biology background or prior knowledge about mussels. I’ve challenged myself to provide accurate and specific details without burdening the reader with a technical tone and unnecessary jargon. Nevertheless, portions of the text are technical. Mussels cannot be saved with poetry and prose—conservation and management requires a strong foundation of biology and ecology. I challenge readers to learn what is presented here and to explore additional information within the cited publications.

I chose to focus on the Connecticut River for several reasons. The 410-mile Connecticut River unites New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Environmental conditions at any location in the continuum from headwaters to tidewaters are influenced by what comes from downstream, upstream, the land, and the atmosphere. Preservation of its natural resources depends on the collective efforts of people throughout the watershed and in neighboring regions (in the case of airborne pollution). Freshwater mussels will benefit from conservation and management that transcends political boundaries and considers the watershed as an integrated ecological unit. Watershed-level planning and management should be mindful of the watershed-wide significance of populations whose ranges may lie within the boundaries of just a few municipalities. The vitality of freshwater mussel populations is also inextricably linked to day-to-day decisions of individual landowners, other citizens, and town governments that may not even be aware that mussels exist. It is important to have well-educated citizens that are aware of the natural resources of the Connecticut River and are mindful of their how day-to-day decisions affect these resources. 

On a more personal level, I chose to focus on the Connecticut River watershed because I’ve spent eight years snorkeling and SCUBA diving in its waters, from tidal waters where I observed barnacles and striped bass to cold headwaters where I observed native brook trout and moose. My house sits on the clayey soils of the glacial Lake Hitchcock and from my house I can run to the top of the Holyoke Range and watch the river flow through the pastoral—but increasingly urban—landscape of the Pioneer Valley. I have dived below its placid waters, slid my stomach over its polished stones, and surfaced among wisps of river fog. I wanted to write this book for a watershed that I’ve shared so much of myself with. As stated so beautifully in the 2006 report by The Trust for Public Land (Clay et al. 2006), “…the Connecticut River and the land that feeds it evoke a sense of place filled with passion, loyalty, and commitment.” I hope that this book contributes to this sense of place and engages more people to become passionate stewards of the watershed.

Copyright 2008 by Ethan Nedeau