Castle Espie Uses Plants To Clean Waste Water
Plants are being used to clean up waste water flowing into Strangford Lough thanks to a £10,000 grant awarded to Castle Espie Wetland Centre by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
The grant has funded new reed beds at the Wetland Centre, which lies on the shores of the Lough. Water from sinks, drains and even toilets now flows through the reed roots, which filter out pollutants like nitrates and ammonia, leaving pure clean water to flow into the Lough.
The reed beds benefit the wetland environment in two ways. Firstly by cleaning the water for insects, fish and amphibians to live in. And secondly the nitrates being filtered out make great plant food for the reeds themselves, helping them to grow enthusiastically and provide homes for nesting ducks and swans.
Visitors will be able to see more wildlife attracted by the reed beds, while school parties - or even businesses looking to improve their environmental performance - will be able to visit the Wetland Centre to find out how natural processes can be used to treat our waste water.
Castle Espie Wetland Centre Reserve & Grounds Manager Kerry Mackie said:
“Wetlands have a huge potential to solve Northern Ireland’s water supply issues. The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust is always working to find new ways for wetlands to work for people and wildlife.
“Our new reed beds will produce clean water for many years to come. They will be a great attraction for wildlife, and also a great attraction for lovers of wildlife who visit us to see the huge variety of birds, amphibians and insects which thrive here.
“The project is the start of big changes here which will also see the development of wildlife-friendly wetland and sensory gardens.
“We are hugely grateful to our funders, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, who generously funded this project through a Water Quality Improvement Grant.”
The restored wetland treatment system will provide a peaceful wetland experience for the centre's 57,000 annual visitors, along with other community members.
WWT Castle Espie Wetland Centre currently receives around 4,100 school visits per year, and has just launched a new 'Inspiring Generations' project to deliver an additional 500 free visits for children from deprived local schools. The treatment wetland, along with the sensory garden and other habitats on the reserve, will be a key 'outdoor classroom' where children can learn about water quality issues and participate in biological monitoring.
