On August 2nd, Yijie, a volunteer of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF)’s China Conservation Area for Wetland at Sun Island Waitan (Bund) Wetland (CCAfa), sent an urgent appeal to CBCGDF. Harbin has decided to open the wetland on the Sun Island Waitan completely and free of charge on August 1st, which intends to make the citizens of Harbin fully enjoy the natural resources. However, considering that full opening up may cause unpredictable damage to the original ecological wetland, after careful consideration with many environmental volunteers, the CBCGDF decided to write to the relevant government in Harbin, recommending that the relevant departments shall pass the expert review first and based on their opinion, then carefully consider the opening up.

The full text of CBCGDF's letter is as follows:

Letter of Appeal for Supporting China Conservation Area for Wetland at Sun Island Waitan Wetland Conservation

To the Harbin Municipal People’s Government,

In August 2019, the CBCGDF received a report from the volunteers of the CBCGDF China Conservation Area for Wetland at Sun Island Waitan Wetland (CBCGDF) that in order to increase the citizens’ happiness index, Harbin has decided to open the Sun Island Waitan Wetland completely and free of charge. The CBCGDF agreed with your efforts to improve the citizens' happiness index. However, in view of the fact that this wetland is the closest and largest grassland-type river floodplain original ecological wetland in China, its animal and plant resources, as well as green ecological value, are very precious. Therefore, when people cannot consciously protect the wetlands, it is not appropriate to open wetlands in an all-round way.

If the wetland is fully open to a large number of tourists, it will bring the following harmful effects: firstly, causing the disturbance to wildlife; secondly, trampling and illegally picking wild plants; thirdly, causing the environmental pollution. All these will cause the deterioration of wetland water environment, interfere with the ecological process of natural wetlands, and aggravate the degradation or even loss of wetland functions.

In addition, the safety risks of wetlands and tourists also need to be concerned. The wetland area is very large and close to the water area, and the risk of falling into the water is very high, which is difficult to monitor; also, once tourists bring fire or throw cigarette butts in autumn and wintertime, the wetland will be destroyed; there are snakes and other wildlife animals in the wetland, and tourists face the risk of wildlife attack.

The CBCGDF believes that people's sense of well-being and acquisition of the ecological environment should be based on sustainability. On the basis of protecting the original ecological wetland, opening the wetland appropriately and time can not only meet the spiritual, material and cultural needs of citizens but also create a model behavior of ecological civilization in Harbin. In this regard, the CBCGDF recommends:

1. It is suggested to stop the complete opening of the Sun Island Waitan wetland immediately. At the present stage, it is still suggested to adopt restrictive open ways, such as controlling the number of people and sightseeing routes and prohibiting dangerous items and behaviors such as bringing in fire and swimming.

2. It is suggested that a warning notice should be set up in the Sun Island Waitan wetland to guide tourists to get close to nature correctly and avoid irreparable damage to the typical wetland. The volunteer team of the CBCGDF will volunteer to do ecological protection promotion for tourists.

3. It is suggested to hold an expert seminar to scientifically and objectively evaluate and demonstrate the impact of the complete opening of the Sun Island Waitan wetland. Data including daily per capita capacity of wetlands; on this basis, scientific planning the Sun Island Waitan’s wetland opening plan.

4. It is suggested that the Sun Island Waitan wetland should be included in the permanent ecological protection zone in the red line area of ecological protection, and its original ecological wetland system should be effectively protected for a long time.

Sincerely writing to you in the hope of your support.

(Photo credit: CBCGDF)

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4855/9556.html

By / Xue Tongtong