Video of the Week
The Exceptional Benefits of Mangroves

All types of coastal wetlands help to prevent millions of dollars in damage, but mangroves have proven to be exceptionally important. Studies have shown that 20 meters of salt marsh can reduce wave height by 90 percent but it takes only a 2-meter-wide strip of mangroves along the shore to reduce waves by the same amount. Their ability to reduce vulnerabilities to hazards makes them invaluable to coastal areas. Watch the video to learn more.

Featured Publication
Urban Resilience in the United States

This report provides a cost benefit analysis of incorporating smart surface solutions to El Paso, Philadelphia, and Washington. In addition to improving the economy and slowing the effects of climate change, green roofs and permeable pavements will serve to strengthen urban resilience against hazards like floods. The financial and environmental benefits of these technologies will reduce these cities’ risks to disasters. Read the full report here.

Coral reefs play a critical role in reducing the devastating force of waves, but they are rarely evaluated as green infrastructures which provide coastal protection. This leads to a mismanagement of the benefits they provide and a continuation of their degradation. The approach presented in this paper analyzes the role of coral reefs in protecting shorelines and explores solutions to curtail further damage. Read the full article here.

Project Insights
North England’s New Forest

Compared to the rest of Europe, The United Kingdom has the least amount of forest cover. The Northern Forest megaproject seeks to change this by planting 50 million trees over the next 25 years. This forest will extend from Liverpool to Hull, and will increase soil protection and mitigate the risk flood. This green infrastructure, will ideally reduce flood risk for 190,000 homes which have been repeatedly plagued by flooding. Read more about this project here.

Upcoming Event
Eco-DRR Symposium in Taiwan

The Society for Wildlife and Nature (SWAN) and three other organizations are jointly hosting the 2018 International Symposium on Resilience of Socio-Ecological Production Landscape which will take place on 26 February 2018.  This event seeks to bring together experts on ecological disaster prevention and mitigation and facilitate a sharing of concepts and technologies to improve resilience in coastal communities. Register for this symposium here (page may need to be translated).