Green raft is bringing new life to Paris canal

The idea for the plant-covered raft, backed by Paris mairie as part of its budget participatif citizens’ proposals for change, came from resident Katarina Dear who had been looking for a way to bring the Canal-Saint-Martin back to life.

Now the first raft has been installed at Quai de Jemmapes in the 10th arrondissement and has already been adopted by ducks and other birds, insects such as dragonflies, and, hidden underneath, fish and water molluscs.

Ms Dear said: “I go past the canal a lot and it looked so sad with the dirty water. I knew plants could help clean it and looked for a way to help.

“This first raft is a test, with a growing area for the plants which are common semi-aquatic or aquatic plants in Ile-de-France.

“Underneath the raft is an underwater oasis that gives shelter for fish and a habitat for molluscs.

“The roots in the water give food and also absorb impurities and clean it up.” Residents backed the plan in the budget vote and the city put up €20,000 to make it work.

Ms Dear said it is bare now but that the 600 plants would soon green up and make a difference, cleaning water and taking CO2 from the air.

She has started a group, Nature&Us, to promote ways of using nature to help improve city living.