First Friday at Audubon

First Friday (Adult+)
Flexing Our Mussels — Restoring Pennsylvania’s Freshwater Mussel Populations with Elyse Henshaw

Friday, April 5, 2024
11:00 a.m. – Noon

$8 Adults
$6 Nature Center members
$6 Children 9 – 15

Reservations appreciated, walk-ins welcome.

Learn more about local freshwater mussels and the work scientists are doing to restore populations with Elyse Henshaw.

If someone were to ask you what you knew about freshwater mussels, what would you say? While many people may not pay much attention to these “living rocks,” they actually have incredibly complex life cycles and serve an invaluable role within the streams and rivers. Freshwater mussels are natural filters and improve water quality that, in turn, supports healthy populations of other species like aquatic invertebrates, game fish, amphibians, and so on. Unfortunately, many freshwater mussel species populations are imperiled and need additional support.

In response, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) has taken strides to restore populations by propagating mussels at the Union City Aquatic Conservation Center. Join Elyse as she discusses the challenges and rewards of raising mussels and the excitement of stocking hatchery-raised species into Pennsylvania’s streams and rivers in an effort to restore their populations and keep common species common.

By day, you’ll find Elyse adventuring throughout the streams and forests of Pennsylvania. For over a decade, she has worked with wildlife and fisheries, and has been so privileged to spend time in many stunning landscapes across the Allegheny National Forest and beyond. From Timber Rattlesnakes to freshwater mussels, Elyse has worked with many interesting animals and even more interesting people.