Trees protect Indian village from tsunami

American Forests, Spring, 2005

A massive tree planting done to enter the pages of the Guinness Book of World Records is credited with saving an Indian village from the record-breaking tsunami that killed hundreds of thousands in Southeast Asia.

Many nearby villages and towns were crushed or swept away by the force of the tsunami that hit December 26, but the village of Naluvedapathy had little damage and few deaths, according to BBC News. Turns out the village was protected by a buffer of trees nearly two-thirds of a mile thick. BBC News quoted an elderly resident as saying the local government convinced villagers to plant 80,224 saplings in 2002 to get in the record books. Although the village was flooded by waves, the forest of trees helped soften the blow.

"We were saved by these trees," he said. "Other coastal villages should also create a tree cover for their safety."