Not only did Hurricane Maria destroy most of Puerto Rico's man-made infrastructure, it also defoliated the island's vast tropical forests, upsetting the forest ecology—in the short term.
"One of the most dramatic sights left by Hurricane Maria is the denuding of Puerto Rico," states NPR's John Burnett in his report (available on audio) on Puerto Rico's forest ecology. "The lush forests for which this island is famous were stripped bare by the cyclone."
Fortunately, the destruction to the forests is one of defoliation, not deforestation. The foliage will return, though, just like it did after the category 3 Hurricane Hugo devastated part of the island in September 1989.
Like the destroyed electric grid and other crucial infrastructure that will be rebuilt with help from the Army Corps of Engineers that serve the 3.4 million residents of this Caribbean island, though, it will take time, and in the near term, be disruptive, particularly to the forest's fauna. But the results are worth the wait, according to scientists who have "been studying the same forests ....since 1943," states Burnett.
Through an accident of weather and geography, Puerto Rico has perhaps the best research on the interaction between hurricanes and tropical forests in the Western Hemisphere.
"The forest is impatient to reinvent itself"
What Dr. Ariel Lugo, the 74-year-old director of the International Institute of Tropical Forestry, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service and other scientists learned after Hugo defoliated the hills "is that regrowth here was two to three times as robust and productive as a normal healthy forest."
The trees race upward to regain their choice positions in the canopy and photosynthesize the sunlight. The tallest are the victors.
It took the forest three to four years to recover after Hugo, and it probably will for Maria, too.
Burnett asks Lugo what he has to say to residents who are anxious to see the island become green again.
"Unfortunately, it's the same thing they are being told when they are waiting for gas, food and water," Lugo replies. "Be patient."
FULL STORY: After Hurricane's Wrath, Puerto Rico's Green Forests Turn Bare Brown
Puerto Rico Braces for Direct Hit from Hurricane Maria on Wednesday
A second catastrophic hurricane is on track to devastate much of the Caribbean, barely two weeks after category five Hurricane Irma departed. In addition to Maria, a much weaker Hurricane Jose will affect the Mid-Atlantic and New England.
Feds Confronted with New Workforce Housing Issue: Their Own
Rising housing costs in rural counties is undermining the U.S. Forest Service's ability to recruit employees.
‘Reverse Migration’ Brings New Risk: Climate Change
Black Americans are flocking to southern states, but many popular destinations face growing threats from extreme weather.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
