Goal of our project
Part of the city centre in Delft (the Netherlands) was recently redesigned, which resulted in the creation of straight stony canals, without plants or sediment. A small-scale pilot with BESE-elements aimed at growing submerged aquatic vegetation and riparian vegetation in this canal.
Set-up
We first pre-planted the different species of plants in the BESE-elements growing them in a shallow basin for a month. Then, the pre-planted modules were installed in the canal on premade steal platforms with a depth gradient. Half of them were protected with a cage to prevent herbivory.
Result
After the first weeks, plant growth was visible in the BESE-elements within the cage (June 2019). At the end of summer, the plants flourished and the BESE-elements below became invisible (Sept 2019). The next spring, plants started blooming again (March 2020). The BESE-elements within the cage showed growth of different plant species, both emerged and submerged vegetation. The BESE-elements without protection remained bare from the beginning. Besides vegetation growth, the BESE-elements were also used as a nesting site by a coot (Fulica atra) and various fish species and macroinvertebrates found a suitable habitat within the structure.
