As we step ever closer to spring, it is almost time for the installation of our first floating island! The Floating Island project is our newest project here at the PWA and for the past few months we have been patiently preparing for our first installation.
The first Island is scheduled to be installed in the Irishtown Nature Park in mid to late June, and we plan on bringing in the event with a workshop where volunteers will be able to help us install plants on the island to learn more about how wetland plants help in maintaining aquatic ecosystems. Each floating island is installed with native wetland plants that allow these islands to naturally reduce excess nutrients from the water. The roots from these plants hang bellow the island to create a bio-film which absorbs suspended particles, nutrients, and chemicals from the water. This helps to improve water quality and reduce the frequency of harmful events like algal blooms by making excess nutrients like phosphate and nitrate less bio-available to algae.
More information on the project will become available on our social media, so if you want to get involved and help us with this new and exciting project keep an eye out for more news in the coming months. We would like to thank RBC who’s generous funding has made this project possible.