Scientists studying the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy say that for all its destruction, the superstorm actually brought about many positive environmental changes.
reports that the landscape transformations, including better bird beaches, were a good thing. When Sandy plowed through New York’s , it ripped out 59 acres of beach grass, which had previously encroached on shorebirds’ nesting grounds. The result: an almost 100 percent increase in nesting habitat.
“Not only that, the storm scoured the sand and bared seashell deposits, which the birds prefer for nesting,” says Hanem Grace Abouelezz, a biologist for the National Park Service, who notes that shells help camouflage nests.
Wetlands, such as the 8,400-acre also benefited. “The storm actually moved a lot of debris out of the marshes that had been lodged there a long time,” said of Hackensack Riverkeeper. Everything from trees to trash was washed out, and was replaced with sediment, which provides a good foundation for mash grasses.
One Fire Island breach wasn’t filled in after the storm and has since increased in size, becoming a haven for seals, small sharks, fluke, striped bass, bluefish, and—of course—fishermen.
“You can see the bottom of the bay. It’s clear,” says marine scientist , who has been monitoring the area for almost a decade. “That hasn’t happened here in years.