pollution remediation

If the sheer volume of scientific research into the use of water and plants to remediate pollution, conserve water and preserve wildlife habitats is any indication, it’s clear that floating islands may have a substantial role to play in the greening of the planet. Here, inventor Bruce Kania surveys some of these studies and discusses all-new ways of looking at plants, wetlands, floating islands and the ability to restore even the most distressed bodies of water.

Buoyant Explorations

There may still be some who resist the idea, but by now it is verifiable fact that plant material can be used to treat and purify water in artificial watershapes as well as in natural bodies of water. For decades, in fact, scientists have borne witness to these processes in natural wetlands – so much so that today, these concepts are being studied around the world using artificial wetlands and floating islands that mimic natural structures and processes. Our firm, Floating Island International of Shepherd, Mont., is predictably focused on the floating island concept. In our efforts to understand all of the nuances and specifics of how plants on floating islands can be used to best advantage, we have made contact and worked worldwide with scores of independent researchers and institutions across a range of settings, applications and agendas. Yes, we’ve been gratified by the resulting findings and the benefits that reportedly flow from use of our systems. In a more important and greater context, however, we see this collection of empirical data and anecdotal evidence as conclusive proof that biological water treatment is not only viable, but is also surprisingly