Artificial wetlands and water quality improvement.

This paper illustrates the role of plants to assist the treatment of water pollution in man-made wetlands in tropical and temperate climates. It also considers the potential for environmental education of these wetland systems. The management and natural treatment of pollution is described in the Mai Po Marshes, Hong Kong and a wetland in London which is also an important site for birds. The design of the Putrajaya Lake and Wetland system in Malaysia is compared with a constructed wetland and lake for the treatment of urban surface runoff in a new residential development in the United Kingdom. The benefits of these natural systems are discussed in the context of the global trend for introducing sustainable methods of environmental management and low cost pollution treatment systems.