We’re over halfway through a two-year pilot project that explores the effectiveness of constructed floating wetlands in removing nutrients and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from treated wastewater.
Conclusive results will be released when the project finishes in mid-2025. However, we’re excited to share the preliminary findings and key insights from the establishment phase of the project with you.
Key insights
Considerable time is needed for nature-based solutions to adapt to the conditions at hand. The amount of time required can be difficult to predict at the planning stage, as plants react differently to climate and other conditions.
Whilst an additional benefit of a floating wetland is increased habitat for wildlife, a balancing act is required to prevent swamp hens and ducks from accessing the floating wetlands until immature plants have had a chance to grow and reach maturity.
Another challenge has been making sure that the connected stairwell is stationary (so that staff and research scientists can safely access the floating wetlands) whilst making sure the floating wetlands can always move to accommodate changing water levels and high winds.
