Caofeidian Wetland and Bird Provincial Nature Reserve (hereinafter referred to as Caofeidian reserve) have been stopped by China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) due to the illegal contract for fish ponds since the beginning of this year. After nearly two months of intense preparation, an online seminar was held on the morning of April 16th around the wetland management and conservation experts with Caofeidian wetland reserve as the core.

First of all, Caofeidian Natural Resources and Planning Bureau made a brief report on the new management and implementation plan of the Caofeidian nature reserve. From the perspective of the development history of the reserve, in 2004, the former Tanghai County approved the establishment of the Caofeidian reserve. In 2005, it was approved by the government of Hebei province and then upgraded to the current provincial protection zone. The planned total area of the reserve is 10081.4 hectares (the measured total area is 9613.74 hectares), divided by function: the core area is 3214.27 hectares, the buffer area is 1517.21 hectares, and the experimental area is 4882.26 hectares; divided by territory: the area of Fourth farm is 1502.94 hectares (all in the experimental area), the area of the seventh farm is 4719.99 hectares, and the area of the eleventh farm is 3390.81 hectares.

The relevant government departments of Caofeidian district are very serious about the problems existing in the early stage of the reserve and think that the main existing problems of the reserve due to historical reasons include: unclear management responsibilities; overlapping management functions of professional functional departments and territorial management; failure to implement strict closed management of the reserve, core area, and buffer area; there are large-scale planting and breeding pools in the area, as well as constructive business activities, which lead to the failure of effective protection of wetlands and migratory birds in the reserve. In response to these problems, the local government departments with great courage to promote the solution of historical problems and put forward targeted solutions. For example, they thoroughly solved the problem of multi-management, straightened out the management system of the reserve, and let Eleventh farm, seventh farm and Fourth farm with the original territorial management right withdraw from the management of the reserve. At the same time, the core area and buffer zone of the reserve are required to stop commercial breeding and planting activities in an all-round way. Based on protecting the wetland ecological environment in the core area and buffer zone, strictly restricted the entry of personnel, and continued to increase the actions of renovation and demolition, clean up illegal water occupation and other illegal development projects in the experimental area of the reserve, such as pension center and Pengyue ecological park, and increased the strength of wetland management and protection, and established the wetland police office.

According to the new management and conservation plan made by the government departments of Caofeidian District, Chen Kelin, researcher of Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhang Zhengwang, Professor of Beijing Normal University, Guo Yumin, Professor of Beijing Forestry University, Tang Xiaoping, vice president of Investigation Planning and Design Institute of State Forestry and Grassland Administration, Wang Yingeng, researcher of Huanghai Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, as well as Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, Secretary-General of CBCGDF, and other experts discussed the new management plan of Caofeidian nature reserve through the online seminar.

The experts affirmed the Caofeidian government for its determination to rationalize the management system of the reserve and to do more to protect this precious wetland resource. They also revolve around the unique nature of the Caofeidian wetland as a specially constructed wetland, some specific issues such as how to implement limited scientific management and protection, how to implement management and protection according to the classification of protected species and habitats, whether closed management should set up fences, whether it is feasible to utilize part of brines in the core area of the protected area, and whether the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides should be completely prohibited were discussed.

After discussion, most experts agreed to implement the closed management of the core area and buffer area of Caofeidian nature reserve after the system was straightened out, rather than the “one size fits all” type of closure. It is suggested to study and formulate a strict ecological conservation plan, under the premise of ecological conservation, all the existing planting and breeding activities should be retreated to the core area and buffer zone of the reserve. At the same time, the local government should plan the water system conservation system of the reserve and even the larger area, so that different water depths and waters are suitable for different conservation migratory bird species, such as to ensure the different ecological needs of wading birds, Oriental storks, wild geese, and ducks. Many experts also put forward suggestions that the establishment of fences will easily split the overall habitat of wild animals; in the new management and protection plan, independent third-party audit for social public welfare environmental protection organizations should be added, and monitoring efforts should be increased, achieve the annual scientific monitoring of the habitats and species protected in the reserve.

Based on thorough discussions among the experts, the relevant leaders of the Caofeidian District government announced before the conclusion of the seminar that after careful consideration, they will adjust the idea of fencing all the core and buffer area closures covered by the original new conservation plan, and express their determination to overcome the difficulties through the whole region, taking into account the full input of experts, according to the law, the wetland and migratory bird reserve should be well protected and built into a successful model of wetland conservation around the Bohai Sea, and become a real transit station for migratory birds.

(Photo credit: CBCGDF)

Original Chinese article:

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/rdezQ4xZrP9qFBCLjbZnbA

By / Xue Tongtong Modified / Maggie