A recent report from the World Conservation Union (IUCN) makes clear how the preservation and wise management of ecosystems can reduce the impact of extreme natural events on both lives and livelihoods.
In the past few years, natural disasters such as hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, droughts, and floods have taken an incredible toll on the social and economic structures of many countries around the world. A new publication from the IUCN, entitled Ecosystems, Livelihoods and Disasters: An Integrated Approach to Disaster Risk Management, brings attention to the fact that the impacts of most natural disasters are often exacerbated by negative human impacts on ecosystems. The report argues that recognizing and incorporating the value of ecosystem goods and services into relief strategies could reduce the initial impact of these events and have large benefits for affected communities in the aftermath, particularly poor populations at high risk.
Dunes, mangroves, coral reefs, and forests provide a natural protective function; their absence can leave human infrastructure more exposed to severe events. For example, the removal of mangrove forests for tourism and shrimp farming activities in Asia substantially reduced coastal protection from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. Conversely, damage from the Pakistan and Kashmir earthquake was less severe in the northern regions where tracts of forest have been left in place and prevented landslides. These ecosystems also provide access to water, food, and medicinal supplies that are critical during the recovery process, as well as a means to create sustainable incomes. Reconstruction efforts that do not adequately address the local environment and take these services into account (e.g., by filling in wetlands or razing forests for materials) could ultimately do more long-term harm than good for devastated communities.
The report, launched on 30 August at the International Disaster Reduction Conference in Davos, Switzerland, provides a series of recommendations for more effective disaster risk-reduction strategies and advocates for better collaboration between conservation and disaster response workers.
RELATED LINKS:
IUCN Commission on Ecosystem Management
EarthTrends information on mangroves and coral reefs.
