Dr. Wynne's Mussel Salvage Trip at Claytor Lake State Park
Got mussels? (Photo courtesy ofNew River Community College)
Several of Dr. Cynthia Wynne’s students took a field trip this past weekend that required some serious muscle…er…mussel! They headed out to Claytor Lake to help save mussels stranded on the shoreline during the lake’s recent drawdown.
The “Mussel Salvage Event,” was organized by Appalachian Power, Friends of Claytor Lake, Pulaski County, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, and Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
Dr. Wynne and her students walked the muddy shoreline with other groups from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and helped save a total of 5,500 mussels! The students told Wynne they had so much fun, that they’d like to be involved in any future trips she takes – even after the semester is over. Check out some cool pictures from the event.
Photo courtesy of New River Community College
Photo courtesy of New River Community College
Photo courtesy of New River Community College
Photo courtesy of New River Community College
Photo courtesy of New River Community College
The mussel crew! From left to right (back row), Tiffany Sherman, Chase Hale, Ellen Lester, A.J. Johnson, April Whitehurst, Sameh Khayat, David Roth, and Dorian Custer. Middle row (left to right), Kensey, Harenet Gebrechristos, Sarah Martin, and Cynthia Wynne. Front row (left to right) Eliza Denere, Ellery Lester, and Sara Tadesse.
Learn more about Claytor Lake State Park here.
Visit the Friends of Claytor Lake website here.
Visit the New River Community College Facebook page here.
Here is a short news video on mussel salvage at Claytor Lake: