i wish i would have said…

the more i look into the idea of a mussel garden, the more i like it. here are a couple quotes of why i think it’s important, especially in the louisiana ecology:

No other country in the world equals the United States in freshwater mussel variety. While all of Europe supports only 12 species, nearly 300 kinds live here, mostly within the vast watershed of the Mississippi River.

The freshwater mussels are among the most endangered organisms in North America. About 3% of the North American fauna is extinct and nearly 50% of the species are considered endangered.
[US Fish & Wildlife Service: "Discover Freshwater Mussels, America's Hidden Treasure."]

To date, 31 different States have reported production of freshwater pearls and shell… The bulk of the shell and pearl production came from Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama, and Louisiana.
[USGS: SP-14-95, "Pearls."]

~ by agalinski on April 27, 2008.