Conservation Solutions Prevent Further Erosion of Hellbender Habitat
The water quality efforts made by producers and landowners in hellbender habitats are helping bring back eastern hellbender populations, restoring unstable streambanks, and reducing severe erosion on working agricultural lands.
The eastern hellbender is the third largest salamander species in the world. It depends on clean, cool, swiftly moving waters to survive, and is an invaluable indicator of water quality.
Despite the hellbenders’ valued ecological services, the giant aquatic salamander’s population has suffered a 90 percent decline across its range since the 1970’s.
The water quality efforts made by producers and landowners in these habitats are helping bring back eastern hellbender populations, restoring unstable streambanks, and reducing severe erosion on working agricultural lands.
