Wetland park promotes harmony between humans and nature
The Miluojiang National Wetland Park, located in Hunan province, covers an area of 2,954 hectares, and is crossed by the Miluo River, so countless pools are dotted around.
Fusing beautiful natural scenery and a long history, the park provides harmony between people and nature, and demonstrates Hunan’s unique culture.
In the mornings, visitors can watch ducks swimming in pools and see sheep chewing grass as the calls of various birds wake the wetland.
According to the local government, more than 100 kinds of animals live in the park, most of which feed on the 576 types of plants growing there.
“In addition to scenic views and rare plants, visitors can learn about the local culture at the wetland park,” said Zhan Aixin, an official with the park’s management bureau.
“In the wetland leisure resort, they can experience wetland farming and harvest fruits and vegetables that grow there. They can also learn how the wetland’s ancient inhabitants support- ed their families. There are also many interesting stories to hear — we’re proud of the local wetland culture.”
The wetland leisure resort is one of five functional areas in the park. They were established to guarantee the wetland’s ecological function, protect biodiversity and improve the ecological environment.
The wetland ecological reserve area is the core of the park, and protects the ecoenvironment of the lower Miluo River.
The wetland ecological restoration and reconstruction area was designed to create an effective ecological corridor as a habitat for wildlife and create a riverside landscape full of biodiversity.
The wetland science education area demonstrates wetland science and explains how the ecosystem functions. The wetland botanical garden, a wetland natural exploration area and bird watching house also help visitors learn about the importance of wetland protection.
The integrated management service area, which is the administrative center, is composed of the wetland park management department and the wetland park protection station.
“The beautiful views of the park have been hard-earned,” Zhan said.
“The local people knew nothing about wetland protection before 2008. There were 48 sand mines near the park because the biggest placer gold mine in the province was located nearby.
The Miluo River was badly affected by mining activities, and the emission of wastewater from factories along the river made the situation even worse.”
The local people gradually realized the importance of environmental protection, and in 2008, the local government invited experts to help restore the wetland functions.
All the mines near the park were closed, wastewater treatment facilities were established and trees were planted to attract animals.
After nine years of work, the facility was listed as a national wetland park. Soon, elks, deer, swans and porpoises will experience a better environment because the local government has vowed to close more factories, plant more trees and demolish buildings within the park.
Zhu Jingwen contributed to this story.