The Tees Rivers Trust (TeRT) joined forces with the Environment Agency, Middlesbrough Development Corporation, Middlesbrough Council and bp on the work.

The islands, designed by Biomatrix Water, were installed at Middlehaven Dock in Middlesbrough.

They are created from modular units with a total surface area of 180 square metres (around 600 square foot), a format which allows the islands to be created in different shapes.

The new floating islands are pre-seeded with native plants and will provide a ‘haven in the haven’ for wildlife including insects, birds, molluscs and fish in an area where little natural habitat exists. The new ecosystem will also provide shelter for juvenile and migrating fish.

Elsewhere on the walls of the dock, Tees Rivers Trust will install artificial rock pools that offer a simple and versatile solution for creating new wildlife habitats on existing structures. 

These features have been used in other locations across the North East and are an innovative solution to provide ecological enhancement.

This work is funded by the Environment Agency and bp.

Features will provide ‘great new habitat’

Ben Lamb CEO, Tees Rivers Trust, said:

Although this project is literally a drop in the ocean, the features that have been installed in the Middlehaven Dock will provide some great new habitat for animals and plants in, on and around the river to colonise.

Initiatives such as this make places better for people to live and work in, which in turn helps support economic growth and the wider benefits that brings to local communities.

Liz Walters, Project Manager from the Environment Agency, said:

Creating artificial habitats is an innovative solution which provides an opportunity for nature to thrive in an area where little natural habitat remains.

This work is a great example of local partners joining forces to bring shelter and food for fish and wildlife and support improvements to water quality and biodiversity.

The project is part of the Trust’s Estuary Edges project, which sits alongside a programme of river estuary restoration on the Tees.

Working in partnership and using nature-based solutions, it will improve sites across Teesside for local people and businesses, whilst providing employment.