CBCGDF China Waterfowl Conservation Area at Tangshan has become a natural education classroom for children. Director Tian Zhiwei takes great efforts to receive tens of thousands of visitors every year.

Tian Zhiwei, director of the China Waterfowl Conservation Area in Tangshan, Hebei Province, has just welcomed a group of children in the rescue station to learn knowledge and protection about birds.

The rescue station, located in the coastal wetland south of Tangshan, which is the throat in the Bohai Bay of the East Asian-Australasian Migratory Bird Migration Route. It is a place for migratory birds to rest, breed and winter. Migratory birds flying long distances not only have to go through tests in nature, but also face the threat from human beings such as trapping, trafficking and hunting. Tian Zhiwei, a folk protector, has been protecting the coastal wetlands of Tangshan for more than ten years.

Every year this folk conservation area receives tens of thousands of children and college students who come to visit and study. (About 13,000 people visits this site a year on average and 15,000 at its peak.)

On January 19, Director Tian gave the children a wonderful lesson on nature education. His wonderful lecture impressed some of the children and parents deeply. Tian Zhiwei has more than ten years of rich experience in the field of wild bird rescue. He used vivid examples to explain why we should care for nature, protect ecology and share beautiful homeland with birds.

After seeing the children come with curiosity and leave with love for nature, Director Tian Zhiwei felt heartily happy. These ideas spread far and wide and make more people care about and protect the nature and the ecological environment. This honest veteran feels that there is nothing more fulfilling than this.

China Conservation Area is an innovative attempt, based on Goal 11 of the United Nations Biodiversity Goals (Aichi targets), which requires to protect "at least 17% of the land and inland waters, and 10% of the coastal and marine areas” “through the conservation areas and other effective and good connection protection system based on region (OECMs)". Apart from the national conservation areas system, we should promote biodiversity conservation through community and public engagement and volunteer efforts; link broken habitats; go against poaching; carry out environmental education and raise public awareness, which contributes to sustainable livelihoods, too.

(Photo credit: CBCGDF)

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4855/7401.html

By / Cynthia