Our collaborative, real-world approach in action
Restoring destroyed marshlands in Iraq
Coastal sustainability Institute / Nahant, MA
Problem
A rare marsh ecosystem, with an untold number of animal species, was destroyed in 1993 when Saddam Hussein diverted the Tigris and Euphrates rivers to punish an opposition group—draining, burning, and poisoning the marshes.
Solution
Northeastern researchers joined Iraqi scientists to assess the damage, help restore the marshes, and implement biodiversity monitoring.
Expert
Combining expertise in technology and policy
Brian Helmuth / Professor of Environmental Science and Public Policy
Helmuth’s research combines fieldwork, remote sensing, and mathematical modeling to study climate change’s effects on marine animals and its likely ecological impact on coastal ecosystems. He’s made multiple trips to the region to collaborate with researchers in Iraq on restoration, biodiversity monitoring, and policy. He also helped his Iraqi colleagues obtain USAID funding to assist with a biodiversity monitoring plan.
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