News / Harbourside
New harbourside eco-islands will help purify water
Bristol Harbour will welcome two new residents at the weekend.
Living ecosystem islands of over 500 native plants will be launched into the water opposite the SS Great Britain, where they will remain as a permanent wildlife haven.
“This is just the start of the city’s plan to introduce a whole cluster of these islands to our waterways, using nature to heal nature,” said Natural History Consortium chief executive Savita Wilmot.
is needed now More than ever
The floating islands will look similar to those launched in Reading in 2022 – photo: Biomatrix
The islands, each measuring around 17m in length, are the first of many planned as part of the Capricorn Quay regeneration.
The new floating green habitat, comprising over 6,000 plants including trees and shrubs, will eventually cover nearly 700 square metres.
The launch of the two islands will be undertaken by the Bristol Harbourmaster on June 2 to coincide with the start of the Festival of Nature.
Savita, who has organised the festival – dubbed the UK’s biggest public celebration of the natural world – added, “It’s wonderful to see nature being celebrated and cultivated in such a visual way with these incredibly innovative floating ecosystems.
“The islands will introduce greater biodiversity to Bristol’s urban areas and make us more resilient to climate change, ultimately making Bristol a more pleasant and healthier place to live.”
The plants have been picked to mimic the natural local habitat. They include marsh marigold, water forget me not, water mint, speedwell, mare’s tails, ragged robin, irises.
Introducing these plants to the river will help to purify Bristol’s waterways. Their submerged roots create the ideal habitat for microorganisms which feed on algae, carbon, excess nutrients and other pollutants, naturally filtering toxic elements out of the water.
As well as plants, the Festival of Nature includes children’s activities, photography and craft workshops, environmental talks and community get togethers – photo: Festival of Nature
The launch of the islands is part of the Festival’s Wild Weekend which kicks off a varied programme of events taking place across the city from June 1-9.
The Wild Weekend features family-friendly nature activities, wildlife film screenings, exhibitions and guest appearances from Springwatch presenter Nadeem Perera, ‘urban wildlife queen’ Lira Valencia and more.
Savita is excited about the week’s programme which includes green crafts, wildlife walks, storytime, foraging and panel discussions on everything environment.
“It’s amazing that this is its 21st year and we can’t wait to see people getting involved in the huge range of activities and events,” she said.
“I’m particularly proud of our professional programme this year, which will give local businesses the tools and confidence to take action for the environment.”
Find the Festival’s full programme at www.bnhc.org.uk/festival-of-nature/events/
Main image: Martin Booth
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