Throughout the tropical regions of the world, the invasive aquatic plant Water Hyacinth is blocking vast areas of lakes, rivers and canals. Water Hyacinth can double in volume every 12 to 18 days. It blocks harbours, destroys economic fisheries, paralyses hydro-electric power stations and encourages the spread of diseases such as malaria, cholera and bilharzia.
The three main current control mechanisms, Biological, Chemical and Manual, have only limited effect and can produce undesirable environmental consequences. Whole communities are blighted by the social and economic impact that the plant has on their traditional way of life.
At the same time, Water Hyacinth poses a serious threat to the very special biodiversity of valuable and unique ecosystems, impacting on water quality, the viability of fisheries and the survival of native plant communities.
The surest, and least hazardous, methodology available is the mechanical removal of the Water Hyacinth, but until now this method has only been suitable for clearing relatively small areas.
Using over 30 years of experience in water management and the mechanical removal of dense aquatic vegetation from various waterways, AquaTractor has developed an integrated process, using proven equipment and technology to rapidly and effectively harvest the Water Hyacinth as a crop, thereby maximising productivity and environmental benefit whilst minimising the logistical and economic burden of the task.
The AquaTractor process will enable shipping lanes, which are currently blocked, to be opened, thus revitalising essential trade and commerce within the developing world. This in itself will generate enormous benefits to communities, including the commercial, agricultural and fishery sectors.
This integrated process enables far larger areas of weed to be cleared in an economically viable and environmentally friendly fashion, whilst at the same time eliminating the health risks associated with manual removal of the weed.
The front end of this process is the AquaTractor weed harvester that the Directors of AquaTractor have used and further developed successfully for over 20 years.
However, effective cutting and collection of the weed is only the first stage in the process. The success of the operation depends upon a cost-effective and practical solution to overcoming the huge logistical challenge of handling such vast volumes of vegetation in an environmentally acceptable manner. AquaTractor will use its considerable specialist materials handling expertise to process and transport the weed direct from the water surface to the shore, in a suitable form that will allow it to be easily transported and disposed of in a beneficial manner.
Disposal of the weed can be carried out in a commercially and environmentally sound manner. The liquid can be made available for crop irrigation, whilst the green matter can be stored and composted.
Following a number of site visits to the developing world and discussions with many of the appropriate stakeholders, AquaTractor has already committed funds to a bespoke Mk II version aquatic weed harvester, based on the original AquaTractor machine, but larger and specifically designed to operate in the more demanding conditions found overseas
Advantages of the AquaTractor integrated process are:
- A practical, proven and low risk solution from knowledgeable specialists with over 30 years of experience
- The solution is environmentally sound and scaleable
- Enables precise and directed clearing operations to be undertaken to maximise the benefits to the community
- Facilitates pro-active and effective weed management
- Allows channels to be cleared in any depth of water
- Eliminates the need for manual clearing and the associated health risks
- Ensures that the vegetation is removed from the water completely
- Completely free from any adverse side effects
- No chemical or biological mechanisms used in the clearing or treatment
- Has only beneficial impacts on water purity or quality
- Will help in the creation of a disease free environment
- Critical to the re-establishment of thriving commerical fisheries
- Actively supports the development of local economies
- Operations can be carried out 24/7
- Opens up the opportunity to make sustainable use the weed in a green manner
- Provides social benefits to lake side communities