MARKERMEER LAKE, NETHERLANDS — An ambitious project led by a Dutch non-governmental organization has built five artificial islands from silt to restore nature to one of Europe's largest freshwater lakes.<br /><br />The Markermeer lake northeast of Amsterdam used to teem with an abundance of wildlife. It was created as part of a land reclamation plan that was scrapped over concerns it would dry out land around it and destroy an important site for migratory birds.<br /><br />However, silt from a dam used to create the Markermeer clouded the lake's waters, suffocating the algae that formed the base of its aquatic food chain.<br /><br />Dutch ngo Natuurmonumenten aimed to change that by silt to create five artificial islands. The five islands were built over a period of two-and-a-half years.<br /><br />Boskalis, the company that built the islands, dug a 1,200 meter trench on the main artificial island to allow silt to be drained by ocean currents to form marshy areas with fertile soil.<br /><br />According to a report by AFP and articles on Natuurmonumenten and Boskalis's websites, these areas are now home to birds such as sparrows, the greylag goose, the common tern and the night heron.<br /><br />An abundance of plankton in the water provides a guaranteed source of food for the birds.<br /><br />Experts have also counted 127 differents kinds of plants on the islands, most of them brought by windborne seeds.<br /><br />The main artificial island contains three wooden bird observatories, footbridges and unpaved roads and is open to the public. The other four islands are reserved only for wildlife and plants.
