New York City (USA) has restored “oyster reefs” in 5 boroughs, creating an unexpectedly effective flood defense system.
In recent years, New York City has experienced record flooding as a result of climate change.
Data shows that since 2000, flooding due to rising sea levels has increased by 247% in some areas of New York. For example, sea levels around the Battery area of Manhattan have risen nearly 23cm compared to 1950.
Oysters are an effective weapon against rising sea levels – (Photo: WORLD NATION NEWS)
This is a bustling area featuring the artistic Greenwich Village, the famous Tribeca business district, the vibrant Chinatown, and the busy Financial District, home to the Whitney Museum of American Art, the World Trade Center, and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
However, they have a secret weapon in the fight against rising sea levels: oyster farming.
According to Business Insider, at the World Economic Forum, New York officials explained how these mollusks can create a surprisingly effective natural flood defense.
Behind this idea is the Billion Oyster Project. This project aims to restore oysters on reefs at 15 locations across the city’s 5 boroughs.
In the past 6 months, 11.2 million oysters have been added to a section of the Hudson River off the coast of Lower Manhattan, where they help filter water and create habitats for other marine life, reported the New York Times.
If the oysters grow large enough, the oyster reefs could even dissipate wave energy, helping to protect the city’s coastline from storm surges and flooding during severe weather.
The newly introduced oysters are placed in over 200 underwater habitats, including metal balls, cages, and mesh wraps.
According to a study published in the journal Ecological Engineering, oyster reefs are a useful tool for building coastal resilience in the face of climate change and rising sea levels.
The Billion Oyster Project plans to restore 100 million oysters in New York Harbor over the next 5 years. In addition to reducing flooding, water quality will significantly improve, and wildlife will return.
New York City is not the only place in the U.S. using oysters to address rising sea levels. The BBC reports that Louisiana is also utilizing these mollusks to prevent coastal wetland erosion.
