For years now man has been exploiting nature. Several reports on how man-made factors affect the environment surface every day. Nature has its own way of unleashing its wrath and letting off steam in the form of disasters and catastrophes.
More recently, Hurricane Sandy wrecked parts of America destroying life and property across many regions. The coastal storm was the deadliest hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season and the second costliest storm for the country.
However, if nature burns, it heals too.
According to a recent study conducted by scientists at the Natural Capital Project, natural habitats might be major contributors in controlling coastal storms and hence preserving them was of utmost importance.
Meanwhile, the country is still recovering from massive losses incurred due to the hurricane. Millions of dollars are being spent on resuscitating the country.
In a recent press conference, proposals were brought forward in order to make New York City more resilient by using better and improvised building standards. The new proposals were suggested by the Building Resiliency Task Force, a panel of 200 architects, landlords, city officials, attorneys and builders that were formed after the deadly Hurricane Sandy tore the city apart in 2012. Mayor Bloomberg and Speaker Christine C. Quinn released the suggestion report with Russell Unger, executive director of the Urban Green Council, which managed the Task Force.
However, scientists believe that manmade precautions will not really help withstand enormous storms. In the study, experts assert that conserving and preserving natural habitat can control the degree of coastal storms and its effects. Habitats like Oysters, Sand Dunes, Coral Reefs and Mangroves have major altering effects that can ward away coastal storms. The study developed a hazard index based on the existence and non-existance of natural habitats, population, residential property values, erosion and five federal scenarios for sea level rise to prove how natural habitats protected coastal regions. The index found that about two thirds of the coastal regions of the U.S. were protected by these habitats, reports USA Today.
"The natural environment plays a key role in protecting our nation's coasts. If we lose these defences, we will either have to have massive investments in engineered defences or risk greater damage to millions of people and billions in property," Katie Arkema, lead author of the study and a Stanford University scientist working with the Natural Capital Project said in a statement.
"Hardening our shorelines with sea walls and other costly engineering shouldn't be the default solution. This study helps us identify those places and opportunities we have to keep nature protecting our coastal communities - and giving us all the other benefits it can provide, such as recreation, fish nurseries, water filtration and erosion control." Peter Kareiva, chief scientist at The Nature Conservancy and one of the study's co-authors, added in the statement.
