Jingzhou is located in the central and southern part of Hubei Province, right inside the Jianghan Plain, with rich lake and wetland resources. The total area of the wetland reaches 390,300 hectares, including a protected area of 219,300 hectares, accounting for 56.18% of the total wetlands and 27.68% of the total territory. The 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP14) has just successfully closed in Wuhan. Let's take a look at how Jingzhou is protecting its wetland.

Boating at Fanjiayuan Eco Park, one can even see the algae gently waving in the water with small fish swimming in between. With amazing water transparency up to 1.5 meters, the beautiful sight of the "underwater forest" is completely visible from above. The ecological restoration project of Fanjiayuan, initiated this March, was completed by the end of July. By creating habitats for wildlife animals, building a healthy aquatic ecosystem and other steps, the project greatly improved the aquatic environment at Fanjiayuan. 

After treatment, the 7 water bodies in downtown Jingzhou that were previously heavily contaminated now meet the water quality standards. The water quality of Gangnan Canal, Taihu Port, Jingxiangwai River, Jiangjin Lake and Zhanglijiayuan has successfully met China's Class V water classification standard. 

Changhu Lake is the third largest lake in Hubei Province. The lake is now as beautiful as a scroll painting of landscape, shimmering in the sun with water birds and wild ducks roaming freely nearby. Along the shore, You Xingquan, a fish and bird ranger, is observing the birds with a camera in one hand and a telescope in the other.

You Xingquan has worked as a fish and a bird ranger for three years. Just three years ago, he was just a typical local fisherman. Born and raised on Changhu Lake, he had spent most of his life on the fishing boat. As the years went by, he witnessed the deterioration of the lake's water quality. In 2018, a fishing ban was placed upon Changhu Lake. You Xingquan, who felt a deep emotional bond to the lake, immediately responded to the fishing ban by giving up his fishing boat and becoming a fish ranger instead. 

From hunting fish to protecting fish, You's experience is the perfect footnote of the improving water quality of Changhu Lake. In January this year, Jingzhou Bird-watching Association conducted a survey on overwintering waterbirds on Changhu Lake. According to the survey report, 45,000 waterbirds of 21 species were found at Changhu Lake, a significant growth from the same period last year. This means the ecological environment at Changhu Lake has been effectively improved, making it an ideal habitat for waterbeds. 

In order to create a new model for the protection and restoration of rivers, lakes and wetlands in the plain region, the city of Jingzhou submitted the Integrated Protection and Restoration Project of Mountains, Rivers, Forests, Fields, Lakes, Grass and Sand in the Jingjiang Section of the Yangtze River and Honghu Basin and successfully obtained the approval to start its execution this year, with a total investment of 7.216 billion RMB. The project involves the protection and restoration, of wetlands, biodiversity, ecological environment, etc. At present, Jinzhou is home to 1 international key wetland, 3 national key wetlands, 11 provincial wetland parks, 1 municipal wetland nature reserve and 4 rural small/micro wetlands.

The report of the Party's 20th Congress has explicitly pointed out the need to "improve the diversity, stability and sustainability of the ecosystem" and to "promote the rehabilitation of grasslands, forests, rivers, lakes and wetlands". It has also pointed out the future direction for wetland conservation and restoration by providing a fundamental guideline.

Sheng Haijun, Chief of the Wetland and Wildlife Protection Section of Jingzhou Natural Resources and Planning Bureau, said, "next, we will promote high-quality development of wetland protection on the basis of the law, publicize and implement the Wetland Protection Law, and carry out investigation and monitoring of wetland resources, in order to ensure that the city's wetland area does not reduce and its function stays intact, and that the city's wetlands are even better protected. Together, we will complete a glorious new chapter of Jingzhou's ecological civilization."