And here is some detailed information on whats going on in the floating island scene-

The biggest Floating Island we have in the works is a 22 foot diameter island at Sarasota Bay Club. This one offered us a bit of a challenge to maintain. So, Bruce Kania, inventor and warrantor of Floating Islands is making the trip from Montana to engineer a solution for Sustainable Ecosystems and the client.

On Monday August 18 Bruce will be in town and is also providing a launch seminar at 3:30 pm at Rosemary Court . He will be sharing the latest in research data and application sites around the world. RSVP to Julia Seyffert 941.351.2591 as seating is limited in this venue.

Wednesday August 20th we will be in Tallahassee , where the DEP (Dept. of Environmental Protection) is coordinating a presentation with Bruce. The City of Tallahassee has a need for islands to filter some of their problem ponds and their representatives will be in attendance. Attendees from Lake Watch , Univ. of Florida and the NW Florida Water Management District are also expected in attendance.

We are getting everyone on the same page (or island) about Water Stewardship!

We have also offered to test islands in salt water using Sarasota Bay . We have a 25 sq.ft. island with three large pockets, ready for planting as soon as we have a site arranged along the bayfront. Ringling College may be the recipient of this island once the school year is in motion.

Last year (on 07/07/07) we launched an island into the pond at Gillespie Park . Commissioner Fredd Atkins was there to assist us in the launching. The island has naturalized and is doing very well. In fact, it has more than doubled in size with the emergence of a volunteer aquatic plant (genus:Polygonum, species as yet unidentified) which exceeds the old boundaries and makes a nice habitat for the turtles. Visit lovely Gillespie Park and check it out.

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FII has engaged the services of Montana-based NCOC, the National Carbon Offset Coalition, led by Ted Dodge and Emily Tafoya, who are US leaders in their field. Through them, FII is working with nationally recognised scientists to measure the sequestration capability of floating islands, by the ton. If the figures back up our optimism, we’ll be using floating islands on carbon credit exchanges throughout the world before too long, and delivering a financial incentive as well as an environmental one to all our potential customers.

Around the continent

From Mark Palmer in Canada:

On November 10, 2006, at the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS) 2006 International Symposium titled, “Making Connections – People, Lakes, Watersheds” held in Indianapolis, Indiana, Greenland Technologies Group (Canada) presented research findings to-date about floating island pilot projects. R. Mark Palmer, P.Eng. (Greenland-Canada) spoke to over 800 delegates about the water quality treatment and other environmental benefits of large island installations that have been constructed in Canadian and U.S. storm water management facilities and waterways. Mr. Palmer presented the purpose of the investigations, scientific methodology being used to assess the surface water treatment effectiveness of each project and application of a GIS modelling tool called “CANWET™” for the Canadian projects, which were funded by the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority and its partners. If you would like a copy of the NALMS symposium presentation, please contact Floating Island International at www.floatingislandinternational.com.


As highlighted above, CANWET™ (Canadian Nutrient and Water Evaluation Tool) is a GIS-based watershed management tool that has been used for the Canadian floating island research initiatives. CANWET™ is distributed by Greenland Technologies Group (Collingwood, Canada). CANWET™ was initially developed for the Government of Ontario. In light of growth pressures facing Central Ontario, CANWET™ was used in 2006 for assimilative capacity and wastewater treatment infrastructure studies, as part-of Ontario’s Inter-Governmental Action Plan (IGAP) affecting many municipalities located in the Lake Simcoe and Georgian Bay watersheds, north of Toronto.

CANWET™ (Version 3) will be released in April 2007. It was developed in partnership with water resources specialists affiliated with Penn State University and University of Guelph (Canada). It incorporates an expanded storm water drainage infrastructure and inventory database for urbanized applications and enhanced water budget modelling capabilities for surface water and groundwater systems. This state-of-the-art tool can also be used to determine long-term sediment accumulation within storm water management facilities, as well as the effectiveness of conventional and new Best Management Practice technologies (incl. large floating island installations!).

Earlier this year, the development of CANWET™ (Version 4) was initiated by Greenland Technologies Group, in partnership with Canada’s Federal Government. The additional features will include pesticide modelling capabilities to assess the impacts from Atrazine use for increased corn production as a bio-fuel source. This project is part-of Canada “green” infrastructure planning policy development that will incorporate sustainable, long-term technologies to battle global warming issues at hand. In addition, this 4th version of CANWET™ will also develop web-based analytical and mapping capabilities for future nutrient trading programs. If you would like further information about CANWET™, please contact Greenland Technologies Group at www.grnland.com.

In Indiana, Jim Blazek’s team at D2 have been vigorously pursuing floating island projects. Here are some of them:

1) 4’ Wetland Buffers around Drainage Lakes with Williams Creek. Instead of grading soil to very fine tolerances, and troubling with controlling water levels, Williams Creek Consultants is pursing providing the same 4’ buffer with Floating Islands instead of a planted soil shelf.

2) IN Department of Agriculture is researching opportunities to utilize Floating Islands on animal waste lagoons.

3) A northern Indiana Park District is working with a Specialty Contractor and a Consultant from Northern Illinois to construct 5 islands, approximately 100’ x 100’, in a shallow lake. We are pursuing the project with a combination of Floating Islands, submerged Coir Fiber Logs and Planted Coir Fiber Logs

4) We have a grower in Northern Indiana growing Floating Islands and Coir Logs in greenhouses for sale on spring 2007 projects

5) We have presented Floating Islands to 12 Engineering and Architecture Firms in Central Indiana in an effort to get Floating Islands into the thought process of these design professionals

6) We are going to launch an island this spring at a private residence in Southern Indiana. We will mount a submersed camera and call it Fish Cam on our website.

7) Brinjac Engineering is conducting monthly monitoring on 3-250sf islands that were launched at a Municipal Waste Water Treatment Plant in Wiconisco PA last October. Weekly monitoring will commence with the onset of spring.

8) Plans are under way to construct a small water feature at our main office this spring where we will feature a growing floating island

9) Several islands continue to be monitored at our southern Indiana growing facility where they are floating on a farm pond. They are being monitored for basic plant community and interacting with animals (turtles, fish, and birds) as well as grazing by animals.

10) Plans are underway for a spring launch of a vegetated island at a private residence on the west side of Indianapolis.

Meanwhile, in another part of D2 in Kentucky, Sean Crimmins has developed the following projects:

1). City of Bowling Green- 250 s.f. island will be installed within the next 30 days.

2) City of Franklin, TN - launched 4 25 s.f. islands last week with Dealer- Jen Hill this week. I will have pictures for you next week.
3) City of Lexington, KY - working to plan a floating walkway for an enhanced wetlands area.

4) Wynstar Farms, Lexington, KY—presenting custom logo island for 8 ponds, so they can see their farm from the air—very prominent horse farm—just purchased $75M thoroughbred.

5) KY Horse Park—Need to design horse shoe shaped island for a 1 acre pond—they want racing colors, and change seasonally

6) Louisville, KY MSD, Jefferson County Parks Dept. Currently working with designers and Joe Beck to incorporate for plans this summer

7) Grand Hotel, Farihope, AL—designing plan with Horticulturist for new $Billion development on the Gulf Coast—looking at multiple islands by May.

8) Farm Links, Sylacauga, AL—planting sample island this week, determining how many islands they would like to purchase.

9) Pond Lady, Lexington, KY- New Dealer- Maintains ponds in the Lexington area.

10) CFP, Raleigh, NC, Charlotte, NC, Greenville, SC—New dealer—Very active in the area. Displayed an island at the Native Grass show in Raleigh this week—Lots of interest, will have orders within the next 2 weeks.

11) Sunshine Supplies- Dealer in Birmingham, AL—Actively working on specifying with engineers, mine lands reclamation, and environmental agencies—ACOE Coastal, ADEM

12) TVA—Linda Harris has encouraged the islands for use in the area. Referred Reflection Riding – Botanical Gardens in Chattanooga, TN to me—featured sign with D2 on sample 11 s.f. island. They love the island and are currently budgeting for 4 250’s this year.

13) Henderson Turf Farms, Hamilton, OH very interested in marketing floating islands for private developments.

14) Installed floating islands at a camp house last fall, seeded with Millet to attract ducks, R.L.A.—Rocky Roquemore very pleased

15) Aquatic Control, Seymour, IN has added Biohaven to catalog for professional installation and maintenance –currently manage lakes in IN, KY, OH, MI, and IL— Catalog will circulate through all states.

16) Sepro, Bob Johson, Licensed Aquatic Manager- Won an island at NALMS show last fall in Indianapolis, he is promoting them through his territory in the Mid West. His son is the sales manager at Aquatic Control—Bob used to be the President

Launch seminars

FII ran a winter launch seminar mid-February, which was a little different, there being no open water, sod or plants available. It’s amazing what you can still achieve with will power and imagination. New island launchers from Virginia, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho met to learn about the product and the business. We were honoured to host such capable and credentialed people, and we wish you all well with your floating island projects.