Infrastructure is struggling to protect property against climate change. Nature may offer an answer: mangroves.
New research finds that mangrove forests have prevented billions in property damage in Florida and could justify lower property-insurance rates.
Florida has an estimated 600,000 acres of mangroves along its coasts, particularly on its southern shores. The trees grow out of dense, submerged root structures that have been shown to weaken waves, reducing the amount of water that hits land.
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Insurance companies routinely reduce premiums for homeowners who protect against flooding, wildfire or extreme winds. But they are not offering similar credit for mangrove protection — a situation the new research aims to change.
