Report: Nature Offers Best Protection Against Natural Disasters
Suzanne Potter, Producer
Thursday, June 11, 2020
CAPE COD, Mass. -- As hurricane season begins, a new report from The National Wildlife Federation and Allied World insurance shows that natural features such as wetlands, coral reefs and sand dune beaches protect communities better than man-made structures.
The report, "The Protective Value of Nature," also found that healthy forests and floodplains can blunt the damage from floods, wildfires, extreme heat and drought.
Jessie Ritter, director of water resources and coastal policy for The National Wildlife Federation, says these natural systems have side benefits as well.
"Natural infrastructure is often more cost effective than built infrastructure, and it provides water quality improvement, habitat for fish and wildlife and also recreation opportunities," she states.
The report recommends that transportation and water agencies integrate natural infrastructure into their plans. And it calls on federal and state grant programs to fund restoration projects.
Ritter notes that a study by the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game found that removing three dams cost 60% less than it would have cost to maintain them for the next 3 decades.
"The state was able to prove that dam removal and allowing for natural floodplain restoration was a lot more cost effective and safer in the long run than dam maintenance and repair," she states.
The report also calls for more funding to update flood maps, and says the National Flood Insurance program should actively discourage additional development in risky areas.
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