Floating ecosystem launches in Liverpool
A new type of floating ecosystem has been launched in Liverpool, UK, which integrates elements of salt marsh and estuarine ecosystems in a unique multi-level habitat.
Anchored in 7m of water, the ecosystem island is based at Wapping Dock in Liverpool’s historic waterfront and has been planted with native estuarine plants using Biomatrix Water’s unique 5D planting system in a bid to explore the integration of floating ecosystems in saltwater docklands.
The installation is a part of ‘Urban GreenUp’, a project funded under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme in which the city of Liverpool is taking part. The island “features multiple habitat types including elevated feature planters, lined rainwater catchment planters and submerged shallow gravel pools,” according to Biomatrix Water. It also includes submerged fish refuge structures from Ecocean.
Fighting climate change
Urban GreenUp’s objective is the development, application and replication of ‘Renaturing Urban Plans’ in a number of European and non-European partner cities with the aim of mitigating the effects of climate change, improving air quality and water management, as well as increasing the sustainability of cities through innovative nature-based solutions.
Liverpool is one of three ‘runner’ European cities which aims to validate and demonstrate the effectiveness of the URBAN GreenUP methodology.
In addition to Biomatrix Water and Liverpool City Council, the Urban Green Up project partners in Liverpool include the Canal & River Trust, Ecocean, WSP and Bluepoint Marine Services Ltd.
By Rebecca Jeffrey
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