Aqua-Flora® Floatlands
Aqua-Flora® Floatlands in short
Just like our Aqua-Flora® mats and rolls, our Aqua-Flora® Floatlands have been around for over 20 years. The idea is also based on man’s need not only to be able to move over land but over water as well. So, what exactly is an Aqua-Flora® Floatland? It’s a floating structure on which our Aqua-Flora® mats are placed, resulting in a floating island, or a floating garden.
Of our range, the Aqua-Flora® Floatland is the product involving the highest level of innovation and which we use in most of our pilot projects and do most research with. Ongoing innovation and implementation of improvements are required to become even more nature-friendly, improve the water quality even further and increase the biodiversity. This also involves implementing changes in the construction in terms of functionality.
The whole story
Aqua-Flora® Floatlands can be used in water bodies with stagnant or slow-running water with a high nutrient content. At locations where there is no room for creating waterside vegetation in lake banks or where the greenery is realized in the form of an island at the centre of an urban water body, Aqua-Flora® Floatlands are highly suitable. Also in situations where fluctuating water levels have to be taken into account, floating greenery may prove to be a solution: it floats along on all water levels. The floating greenery can be used in urban ponds and canals, along vertical banks, next to floating houses (optionally to be supplied: floating residential elements in addition to floating greenery) in storage and settlement basins and sand extraction pits.
The Floatlands consist of a floating structure on which our Aqua-Flora® mats are installed. Due to the modular construction of the floating body they can be used in many sizes. Floating power does require a minimum width, however. The Aqua-Flora® Floatlands can be anchored in various ways depending on the on-site situation. For instance, wooden stakes can be used, or weight anchors to the bottom.
Ecology
Like our Aqua-Flora® mats and rolls, our Floatlands are in tune with the Building with Nature concept, which is in such high demand these days. With our nature-friendly products we contribute to a greener future for humans and animals.
Aqua-Flora® products provide a gradual, transitional environment between land and water, which is important to aquatic and amphibian biotic communities. To waterbirds Aqua-Flora® provides a popular nesting place where they can also find building materials for their nests. To insects Aqua-Flora® products provide suitable foraging and breeding areas. The plants in the Aqua-Flora® products also contribute positively to the purification of water. They are capable of absorbing and storing nitrogen and phosphate compounds, which can be removed from the above-ground areas in the autumn by mowing and the subsequent disposal of it. The basis of coconut fibre material, from which the Aqua-Flora® products have been manufactured, provides purchase to the pre-grown aquatic and waterside plants while they develop in the banks and immediately offers protection against erosion of the bank as well. By the time the coconut fibres have decomposed, the rhizomes and the roots of the plants have taken over the function of protecting the bank (this only happens on the wind-waterline).
Proven technology
Through the years, several successful pilot projects have been carried out in cooperation with and commissioned by various clients and interested parties. This shows that our materials make a positive contribution to the macrofauna and microfauna. General conclusions that can be drawn from surveys are that water quality improves, macrofauna increases (increase in species), more fish are present, the locals have a positive experience resulting in (not entirely unimportant) in an increase in the value of property.
Planting schemes
We offer various standard planting schemes. We currently have a range of nine schemes. Eight of which contain various waterside and aquatic plants with many colourful flowering species; number nine is a mat containing mono-culture phragmites (reed). Reed is known for its overrunning characteristics, for which reason we don’t combine this plant with other species. In the schemes we’ve included a handy overview stating which scheme is most suitable in which situation/field of application. Naturally, we’d be more than happy to give you an advice on this point that is tailored to your needs.
All the plants that we pre-grow in our Aqua-Flora® mats are indigenous.
Customer-specific
But what if you, or your client, want to come up with your own planting scheme, or already have? No problem at all! Anything is possible (well, nearly anything). You can always make a selection from the plants we’re already using, but for instance in the proportions you want. Please note that this may affect the delivery period! Do you have other species in mind? In that case we will examine together whether those species are suitable to be pre-grown in our mats. Please note that in addition to a longer delivery period, additional costs may also be involved, depending on the selected plant species.
Example
- You would like a mat that is fully pre-grown with the beautiful yellow iris, can this be done? Yes this can be done, and it won’t even cost anything extra. It does involve a longer delivery period, however.
- You want two different standard schemes, for instance “Alysha” and “Chantal” blended in one Aqua-Flora® mat, can this be done? Yes of course! Again at no additional costs, only the delivery period will be longer.
- You want an entirely customer-specific planting scheme including arrowhead and common rush. Also possible! However, as in this case the plants are not part of our standard range, it may involve additional charges. A longer delivery period also applies here.
Maintenance
Good news! All our Aqua-Flora® products require little maintenance. At the bottom of this page you can download our maintenance advice. If you don’t have green fingers after all, we’d be more than happy to take the maintenance off your hands. For each project we can offer a maintenance contract.