Here's an interesting point about Plum Island's erosion that I rarely see made, and if it's been made I think the general population has missed it.
In discussing the erosion and the washing away of the island, we tend to focus all our attention on the million dollar homes and multi-million sewer systems. Why try to save these homes that shouldn't be built on a barrier beach anyway, the argument goes. Let nature take its course.
But there's more to the story.
From my perspective, Plum Island would appear to be the only thing standing between the open ocean and the Great Salt marsh. It's impossible to overstate how important the salt marsh is, not only to Newburyport, but to the entire ecosystem.
I'm no expert, but I imagine the lost of the salt marsh would doom Newburyport's downtown at the very least. And this doesn't address the lost of one of the ocean's most important fish nurseries.
The Army Corps of Engineers estimates that more than two dozen homes would be lost on Plum Island over the next 10 years if nothing is done. I wonder what what damage the ocean might deliver in 50 to 100 years. I find the idea frightening.
I'm certain someone will let me know if I'm being an alarmist. But I don't think I can accept the all too convenient "let Nature do her thing" argument any longer. We're fighting nature every day. I'd like those who offer the argument to be consistent and renounce modern medicine.
Why take antibiotics? You're going to die someday anyway.
"the marsh" image from flickr user garden beth used under creative commons license.
5 comments:
I'm not a student of our coastal ecology, but I would guess that, as Plum Island moves, the marsh moves. Of course, that means we'll be fighting Mother Nature on the mainland. Maybe I'll have marshland on my doorstep in a few decades. :-)
Tom,
You really can't fight Mother Nature. Antibiotics? Bacteria have 'adjusted' ... and we still can't stop viruses, prevent cancer, heart defects, genetic disorders ... it's a losing proposition.
Nonsense.
You can fight. You may not win, ultimately, but you can fight.
Sure the bugs are adjusting to antibiotics, but a lot of lives have been and are being saved.
We just need to come up with stronger stuff.
Well obviously I wouldn't want to stop developing stronger antibiotics(or would I?), but I guess what I meant was (as you said), you may not ultimately win.
When do you throw in the towel?
Not medically, but with barrier islands. How much money literally thrown into the ocean later?
And I don't think it's nonsense at all. Penicillin was the last really major, far-reaching medical discovery. That was 100 years ago, if you discount the ancient Chinese, Greeks and Egyptians.
The marsh is extremely important for many reasons I do not have time to discuss, and it is a very fragile ecosystem. If we let the breakers wash over plum island, we do risk harming the marsh, which in turn would cause more flooding on the mainland.
Down in Louisiana, they slowly allowed their marshes to deteriorate out of neglect. Along came Katrina and, well, we all know that story. Lets not be short sighted and throw in the towel just yet.
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