Rebuilding New Orleans: applying ecological economics and ecological engineering

Wetland restoration

Increasing the area of coastal wetlands through ecological engineering provides a very cost-effective and sustainable approach for providing hurricane protection to human settlements in coastal Louisiana. Wetlands will provide an important and sustainable buffer against storm surges and wave action generated by tropical storms and hurricanes. Coastal ecosystems such as marshes and forested wetlands, whether naturally occurring or ecologically engineered, play a significant role in reducing the influence of hurricanes and even tsunami waves. The mechanisms involved include decreasing the area of open water (fetch) for wind to form waves, increased drag on water motion and hence the amplitude of a storm surge, a reduction in direct wind effect on the water surface, and direct absorption of of wave energy.

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