Experts:Effective Protection Stares Us in Face in Protecting Wetland in China

Wetlands are called "the kidney of the earth" owing to their great ecological cleansing effects. However, the area of wetlands is decreasing due to the influence of human activities in China. And now the dire importance of effective protection stares us in face. Our reporter Damin brings more details.

Wetlands are a transitional region between the terrestrial ecosystem and the hydrosphere ecosystem. It is one of the three ecosystems on the earth with ocean and forest. Though many wetland reserves have been built, their total size is still decreasing.

"They not only fill the wetland, but also build factories there."

"Red-Crowned cranes are decreasing each year. There are many reasons for this, but developing this wetland cannot be escaped."

Chen Kelin, the director of Wetland International's China office says that about 95% of wetlands face various problems among the nearly 400 ones investigated.

"Expansion of cities takes up too much wetland. With the blossoming of industrialization and agriculture, many lands are being developed into factories and farmland. At the same time, some existing wetland faces exhaustive exploitation such as excessive fishing, over use of water, as well as water pollution."

"No water, no wetland", as Chen said in 1980, regarding the high quality water being 80% of all surface waters. However, by 2000, the figure dwindled to just 30%. Chen believes the cognitive shortage contributes most to the current situation of wetlands.

Tian Kun is vice director of the National Plateau Wetlands Research Center. He says regulations, especially for wetlands, should be set up.

"Protection of wetland concerns many departments such as forestry, agriculture and water resources. Therefore, coordination among those departments are necessary if wetlands are to be effectively preserved."

Tian also points out the importance of enhancing research strength. A deeper understanding of wetlands helps us to protect it well.

"Wetlands are complex ecosystems which differ from forests or deserts. We did not consider its unique attributes for its protection, nor exploitation, which often led us to a blind input."

In China, wetland gathers at the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River and the northeast region of China. There are fewer human activities in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. However, human activities have stepped in 90% or even more wetlands in northeast China.

For CRI, this is Damin.