Virginia Wildlife Action Plan
Challenges to Conserving Wildlife
Habitat destruction and fragmentation are the dominating problems facing terrestrial wildlife and habitats. Grassland and savannah habitats are in decline in the Commonwealth from certain agricultural uses that convert this habitat to other types of habitat, from farms that convert into municipal uses, and from abandoned farms that become mature forest habitat.
Pollution, sedimentation, and nutrient overloads are causing changes in water quality that negatively impact aquatic wildlife and habitats. Such aquatic degradation is caused mainly by certain agricultural and forestry practices, industrial and municipal development, and certain industrial practices, such as mining. Rivers in southwestern Virginia experienced degradation from certain mining practices, certain agricultural practices, and creation of downstream dams. More than half of the freshwater mussel species occurring in these river systems are listed as threatened or endangered. These mussel species are highly dependent on good water quality for their survival, and they are very important to these river systems as a food source to other wildlife and as a filter-feeder helping to clear the water as it feeds.
