Hurricane Idalia shows nature may provide the best shoreline protection

On Cedar Key, researchers from the University of Florida have brought in sand, put in marsh plants and used artificial reefs to encourage the growth of oyster beds offshore. (Octavio Jones for NPR)

CEDAR KEY, Fla. — When Hurricane Idalia slammed into Florida's Gulf Coast in August, one of the hardest hit areas was Cedar Key.

A nearly 7-foot storm surge battered the small fishing community, flooding a third of the buildings on the island. In a new report, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says Idalia caused an estimated $3.6 billion in damage, most of it in Florida's Big Bend region. But on Cedar Key, when the water receded, scientists found some good news amid all the damage.