Sadly, my EarthMeander regarding the environmental implications of not having mangroves and coral reefs for protection from tsunamis and other coastal surges, has been born out. I was amongst the first to bring these ecological facts to global understanding of the terrible disaster. And now many others have joined in efforts to ensure rebuilding does not overdevelop coastal ecosystems. I stand by my contention that the disaster portends the types of impacts rising seas from climate change will have.

A Tidal Wave of Lessons Learned

The environmental community has long proclaimed the importance of keeping mangrove forests and coral reefs intact as a means of buffering coastal villages against the impact of severe storms. Sadly, the recent tsunami has provided vivid and gruesome proof of how correct this warning was. Consider this comment from Seacology Prize recipient Anuradha Wickramasinghe of Sri Lanka: "Due to mangrove vegetation, the tsunami damage to my village is not severe like other nearby villages that cut their mangrove forests down to make room for industrial shrimp farms." Or this comment from Dr. Felix Sugitharaj of the hard-hit Andaman Islands: "Mangrove forests saved my village from the sort of destruction experienced at the nearby nation's capitol of Port Blair. Compared to Port Blair, human loss and house damage have been minimal."