Why is it important to protect and conserve species like freshwater mussels and nongame fish?
Every living thing has value. These species affect us in direct and indirect ways. As these creatures disappear, they are warning us of landscape-level ecological problems the deterioration of the quality of water and riparian habitat. Endangered and threatened species are early warning signs of environmental problems that we can learn from and correct for the betterment of the species and ourselves.
