Over many generations of weathering hurricanes, we’ve trained ourselves to look after our people and our property first and foremost.

But while we hunker down in our houses and wait for the storm to pass, some of the natural life around our island isn’t so lucky.

Our ecosystem – the animals and plants that call Bermuda home, and the environment surrounding them – gets a battering every time a hurricane strikes the island.

Sand disappears from beaches, cliffs collapse, and trees, habitats and marshes get destroyed, with devastating consequences for the creatures that live there.

Often, the environment heals, but experts fear that as fierce storms become more frequent, the risk of long-term damage increases.

Myles Darrell, the head of natural heritage at the Bermuda National Trust, said: “As storms become more intense, and as sea level continues to rise, Bermuda risks losing more than individual trees or beaches. We risk the gradual weakening of whole natural systems.

“Over the next few decades, we may see narrower beaches, increased coastal erosion, more frequent flooding of low-lying areas, greater stress on mangroves and marshes, and more damage to reefs and seagrass beds.

“Over the longer term, some habitats may be prevented from migrating inland, away from the coast, blocked by roads, walls and buildings.

“The greatest concern is cumulative impact. One storm may damage a habitat, but the unremitting action of repeated storms can prevent recovery. Over time, this can lead to permanent ecological loss.”

Read more here: https://www.rgmags.com/2026/06/our-precious-ecosystem-is-under-threat/