The survival of native and endemic species of plants on Nonsuch Island could teach residents a vital lesson in hurricane survival, an expert claimed this week.

The isolated island in Castle Harbour received its share of damage and erosion at the hands of Hurricane Fabian 12 days ago but Government Conservation Officer Jeremy Madeiros told The Royal Gazette the native plants and trees there were hardier against the storm than introduced species would have been.

He said the hurricane was a regrettable but natural phenomenon and, in his opinion, any loss or devastation it caused should be looked at as a lesson to be learned.

"This really teaches us what to plant and where not to build houses," Mr. Madeiros told The Royal Gazette. Nonsuch is a Government Nature Reserve on which all non-native species have been culled - returning the island to its pre-discovery state.

"We need to educate people about the native species because those are the ones that protect structures and stand up to these types of storms," he said.

"We get upset about losing a house or damage done to a structure but if we look at how native vegetation is able to stand up during a hurricane, we can learn from that."

None of the buildings on Nonsuch Island were damaged, although the house Mr. Madeiros lives in with his family for part of the year was filled with about three feet of water.

Meanwhile, pockets of land across Bermuda planted with exotic species such as Casuarina trees, and areas without much vegetation, did not hold up as well and uprooted trees caused damage and devastation to homes, he said.

But, on Nonsuch, the tree canopy is so thick the wind swept over the top rather than pulling down or fracturing trees.

Only about three percent of the vegetation on the Island was damaged, Mr. Madeiros estimates.

One significant change was wreaked by the storm however - the island is now divided at high tide.

What was once a 20-foot sand dune and a salt water marsh has been swept away and now a long, flat beach and a solitary Buttonwood tree stand along the stripped down bedrock.

"The salt water marsh was filled in with sand," Mr. Madeiros said pointing to a little brown puddle, which is all that is left of the marsh. "Now Nonsuch will be two islands when the high tide comes up."

As for the animals living on Nonsuch, he said that Longtails which use the natural and artificial habitats there and on the surrounding islands were the worst hit but Bermuda natives, the skinks and the Cahows, fared better.

"About one-fourth to one-fifth of the second echelon of Longtail chicks did very bad," he said.

"These are all the chicks born later in the year. All of the older chick population had left in mid-August and we hope that some of the later chicks were able to (leave) as well.

"This was a natural event for this environment and now we'll be able to observe and record how Nonsuch will recover. It's just another chapter in the island's life."