On April 12th, the volunteers of “Green Anyang” ecological and environmental protection volunteer association displayed the plaque and flag of “China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) Community Conservation Area for Black Stork at Zhanghe Canyon (CCAfa)” at several key points in Zhanghe Canyon, officially announcing the establishment of “CBCGDF Community Conservation Area for Black Stork at Zhanghe Canyon”!
The volunteers came to the government of Hezhang town for the first stop. Why did they choose here for the first stop? According to Ren Zeping, the director of “CBCGDF Community Conservation Area for Black Stork at Zhanghe Canyon”, the town of Hezhang is the intersection of the Qingzhang River and the Zhuozhang River. From the starting point of Hezhang Town, it is just entering the Zhanghe Canyon. Hezhang town is the throat area of three grand canyons, i.e. Qingzhang River Canyon, Zhuozhang River Canyon, and Zhanghe Canyon. Entering and leaving Zhanghe Canyon must pass through Hezhang town. Therefore, it can be imagined that Hezhang town is the most important geographical location to protect black stork and other migratory birds. At the same time, the town is also the forward position of anti-poaching.
Volunteers showed the flag and plaque of “CBCGDF Community Conservation Area for Black Stork at Zhanghe Canyon” to the government officials of Hezhang town. The government officials of Hezhang town highly affirmed the establishment of the Community Conservation Area, and one of them said happily that, “the black stork has always been the town bird of Zhanghe Town, also the divine bird in the hearts of our local residents, and the pride of the whole people of Hezhang Town, which is the core of the Millennium-bird-road.” The official also said that the intersection of the two rivers has both natural and cultural landscape characteristics. Three rivers and three canyons are also well known in China. The township government will build a wetland park at the junction of the two rivers, actively develop wetland tourism, and vigorously protect birds and their habitats, such as black storks.
CBCGDF volunteers expressed their admiration to the Hezhang town government for attaching great importance to the protection of birds and wetland ecology. The establishment of “CBCGDF Community Conservation Area for Black Stork at Zhanghe Canyon” can promote the construction of regional linkage mechanisms such as species monitoring and protection information sharing in Handan and Anyang, promote cross-regional and cross basin ecological protection, and strengthen joint law enforcement in this region. At the level of non-governmental environmental protection volunteers, “Green Anyang” will cooperate with Handan Green Environmental Protection Association, Green Olive Public Welfare, and Linzhou Green Taihang Environmental Protection Volunteer Association to jointly protect the ecosystem of Zhanghe canyon.
Zeping said, “the volunteers of CBCGDF in Anyang have tacitly agreed that the black stork is the city bird of Anyang, and actively established the ‘CBCGDF Community Conservation Area for Black Stork at Zhanghe Canyon’”. This is of great significance to enhance the pride of people in Handan and Anyang, to enhance the awareness of people in the two cities to protect black stork and other birds, and to activate the enthusiasm of law enforcement of the administrative authorities of wildlife protection in the two cities.
Then, the volunteers came to the core area of Zhanghe Canyon National Wetland Park in Anyang, and the student representative read out the declaration of joint protection of wild animals: “I swear - I will promote Anyang’s public participation in wildlife protection, pay attention to the survival challenges faced by local wildlife, and improve Anyang People’s awareness of wildlife protection; I will never hunt or trade wild animals; I will never eat or use wild animals for medicine; I will never buy wildlife specimens and decorations; I will never watch wildlife shows; I will never disturb wildlife, never destroy wildlife habitat; I will be a guard of Anyang wildlife protection!”
In the core reserve of Zhanghe Gorge National Wetland Park in Anyang, volunteers saw many messy piles of earth and stone and a half pulled building. This construction project is called “Homestay Culture Park”. The exterior walls of the building have not been painted and the doors and windows have not been installed, but the inside can provide lunch for tourists, mainly cooking with wood fire.
After careful analysis of the planning map of Zhanghe Canyon National Wetland Park in Anyang, we can find that the ‘Homestay Culture Park’ is located in the core area of the Wetland Park,” said Zeping, “The so-called ‘Homestay Culture Park’ is actually a hotel for tourists. The cultural park has uprooted reed and other native wetland plants and planted vegetables. The national wetland has become its own vegetable garden, which has obviously damaged the habitat of black stork and other birds.”
In response, Zeping said that he would apply to Anyang Ecological Environment Bureau for the environmental assessment of the “Homestay Culture Park” and the cruise ship.
At the last stop, volunteers actually found illegal sand and stone digging in Zhanghe Canyon. According to Zeping, in fact, this illegal behavior has lasted for more than ten years. The original Zhanghe Canyon’s river course is rich in water and grass, and there are huge stones beside the river course. However, now these stones have been smashed and pulled away. The whole Zhanghe Canyon has been seriously damaged. The wetland plants in the canyon disappeared, let alone the water birds. There are many roaring excavators and transport vehicles near the river, and birds such as black stork and their habitats have been seriously damaged.
Volunteers said they will report illegal sand and stone excavation to the Water Conservancy Departments of Anyang and Handan.
The ecology of Zhanghe canyon has been seriously damaged, which has brought a huge impact on the mind of the volunteers participating in the establishment ceremony. At the same time, the future goal of “CBCGDF Community Conservation Area for Black Stork at Zhanghe Canyon” is further defined: let the wetland recover, let the black stork and other birds come back. A volunteer participating in the activity said that the name “CBCGDF Community Conservation Area for Black Stork at Zhanghe Canyon” is the beginning of major responsibility, warning people to consciously protect the habitat of black storks and migratory birds Zhanghe Canyon. This conservation work will be our honor in the future.
(Photo credit: CBCGDF volunteers)
Original Chinese article:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/ITO1qAmroI7ZEOwi-fvDgw
By / Xue Tongtong Modified / Maggie