In a time of hurricanes, we must talk about environmental conservation

By Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

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Without protecting coastal mangroves and marshes and wetlands and coral reefs, there is nothing to buffer us from the impacts of storm waves and winds. Without robust local agriculture and healthy fish populations, people have a tenuous dependence on imports that may stop arriving. Without intact forests and grasslands—when we cover too much of the earth with concrete and asphalt—flooding and mudslides become more dangerous. Without clean waters, when the power goes out and we turn to rivers, they sicken us instead of hydrating us.

Conservation protects human health and well-being, and it makes good financial sense. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. An intact coral reef can reduce wave energy by 97 percent, buffering the impact of storms. Mangroves can reduce wave height by 66 percent, protecting against erosion and flooding. Oyster reefs are as effective as man-made breakwaters and cost $85,000 less per hectare. We should work with nature—bolstering these natural protections—instead of against it.

Nature is ultimately what sustains us, and that becomes painfully clear when storms strip away all the layers we have built between ourselves and the environment. When we are cut off from food deliveries and running water, we turn to hunting and fishing and streams. These moments highlight the need to build resilience at a local level, to prevent what we can and prepare to protect and rescue ourselves and each other from what we can’t prevent. These moments highlight the need for self-sufficiency, for community-sufficiency—it’s become abundantly clear that we cannot depend on governments for rapid humanitarian response.

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