On March 22, 2020, CBCGDF volunteers in Hebei sent a message to Zhou Jinfeng: they found that in Yuanshi County, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Prov., many nests of Sand Martins (also called cliff sand swallows, or Yashayan in Chinese), which had been seen last year on both natural banks of the Huai River and in the sand dunes in the middle of the river channel, were gone.
Sand Martins
Moreover, there were more than 30 black storks (China's 1st class national protection animals) living there, but the birds have to leave their home because of the hardening surfaces of the river banks. The scene was full of busy excavators and bulldozers, reported by the local volunteers to Zhou Jinfeng, and the then ongoing "Huai River Yuanshi County River improvement project" to were destroying the sand tunes in the middle of the river channel, where were home to tens of thousands of Sand Martins.
This project, named "Huai River Yuanshi County River Improvement Project", the government invested more than 10 million yuan. Every year in April, migrating sand swallows fly to the dunes in the river to build their nests. Then, they leave there after a few months. But this river project, which is called an "ecological project", will flatten all the sand dunes.
Zhou Jinfeng acted quickly. Because he believes that biodiversity conservation requires the protection of wildlife habitats. This project is a serious destruction of habitat that is totally unnecessary. Protecting cliff sand swallows helps protect human habitat health - we can use less pesticides because the swallows eat the little bugs. They are an important link in the biological chain.
1. He formed a team of experts, quickly mobilized local volunteers to carry out field research, invited experts in bird protection, law, landscape ecology, water conservancy and other aspects. They organized a "Yuan Shi County Sand Martins Conservation Experts’ Seminar" for special environmental assessment.
2. Zhou Jinfeng sent an official letter to the local governments, requesting the preservation of the habitat of the cliff sand swallow.
On April 2, 2020, CBCGDF expert group efforts finally paid off in some extent. Zhou received a notice from the Natural Resources and Planning Bureau of Yuan's County, inviting CBCGDF and Dr. Zhou to visit the site, but no specific time was specified. Tight meeting notice and schedule, is a deliberate man-made obstacle. On April 3, 2020, Zhou Jinfeng left Beijing, heading to the Project site. During those hours he was stopped repeatedly by the local government on the name of COVID Ban "to be quarantined" on his way to Hebei. Finally, they held a meeting at the construction site of the river.
Above picture: The seemingly useless and ugly sand dunes are breeding habitats for sand martins. Picture by CBCGDF Media.
Above picture: the meeting was in the river project site. Zhou was surrounded by local officials who were angry at him first, but later followed his suggestions to make this place a demo site for biodiversity conservation.
Final result: The river project developers made concessions. And local people are mobilized in the conservation of biodiversity conservation. Zhou Jinfeng successfully convinced the local government to preserve the sand dunes in the middle of the river. And a "Community Conservation Area for Sand Martins" was established and fenced off by the CBCGDF and supported by local government. This move made the place a famous tourist site later, unexpectedly. Many people heard this story and headed there to see the seasonal birds' islands and began to reflect on living in harmony with nature.
Reporter: Littlejane
Editor: Samantha
Contact: V10@cbcgdf.org; +8617319454776
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[Report in Chinese]
Pictures and stories in Chinese are available:
http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4854/11925.html
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_6902382
http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4854/11887.html
https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_6793852
Reported by ChinaNews also:
https://www.chinanews.com.cn/sh/2020/05-11/9180653.shtml