Two ecosystem islands installed in Bristol Harbour
They'll help filter the water and offer a new habitat for birds and plants
Two ecosystem ‘islands’, or platforms, have been launched into Bristol’s harbour to purify the river and improve biodiversity.
The platforms, marking Bristol’s first ever eco-system ‘islands’, have been fixed into place opposite Brunel’s SS Great Britain at Capricorn Quay.
The giant ecosystems aim to create a sanctuary for birds and introduce over 500 plants to the river’s habitat.
Installed as part of the Festival of Nature, the festival’s organiser Natural History Consortium collaborated with Biomatrix Water Solutions to assemble the ‘islands’.
CEO of The Natural History Consortium, Savita Wilmott, said: “It’s wonderful to see nature being celebrated and cultivated in such a visual way with these incredibly innovative floating ecosystems.
"They will bring greater biodiversity to Bristol’s urban areas and therefore make us more resilient to climate change, ultimately making Bristol a more pleasant, and healthier place to live.”
The 17-metre platforms are made of durable HDPE, which is constructed from recycled, non-toxic materials and connected with stainless steel hardware.
Described as a “micro-wilderness of submerged roots”, the ecosystem will naturally filter out algae, carbon, excess nutrients and other pollutants by using them as a food source.
The floating ecosystems are designed to last for at least twenty years.
Operations manager, Ellen Hebdon, at Biomatrix Water Solutions said: “These living ecosystems are a fantastic way to assist nature in helping to address the effects of climate change, bring back habitat that has been destroyed by decades of industrialisation and also bring amenity to an urban environment.
"Bristol is renowned for its ambitions and commitment to sustainability, and its history and heritage is intrinsically linked with water and the harbour, so it was a great opportunity to be able to demonstrate and show to others what these floating ecosystems can do.
"We are honoured to have installed Bristol’s first.”
The ‘islands’ form part of a larger project at Capricorn Quay, set to be installed later in the year.