Floating Wetland

Green technologies is all about the use of technology to solve problems facing our environment now and in the future. An emerging technology that has seen some great success in other parts of the world is the use of floating farms and wetlands.

Floating wetlands are used to mitigate water pollution and replace lost habitat especially for migratory birds. Both of these problems are very familiar to Floridians. Yearly algal blooms plague Florida waterways. And 196 different species of bird breed in Florida each year. Both habitat loss and algal blooms are not only terrible environmental problems but also economic challenges.

We propose to build floating wetlands for our retention pond, a common feature in Florida. The wetlands will lower nitrate levels in the pond, helping combat unwanted algae and improve water quality. It is our hope to see wildlife use the wetland as well. Students will interact with the wetland at different levels. The upper grades will help build and maintain the wetland, test water quality, and experiment with the use of various designs and plants in the classroom.