[Editor's note]: CBCGDF believes people's participation is the key to a successful post 2020 Biodiversity Framework and SDGs. Here's a report by CGTN on early February, reporting CBCGDF's registered volunteers' efforts in saving migratory species. The intertidal mudflats mentioned in this article are now the most important last resort for Relic Gulls. To save the species, previously, the CBCGDF did some related work:

(1) Support local community and volunteers and established Community Conservation Area for Relic Gulls at Tianjin (CCAfa), with Wang Jianmin as the director.

(2) Mobilize resources by public fundraising, to aware people on the coastal wetlands' importance, and to gather people's financial support to this CCAfa;

(3) A political proposal was submitted in 2016 to the CCPCC, China's top political advisory body, urging the government to strictly regulate coastal wetlands reclamation. It promoted the launch of the national policy on this issue in July 2018.

(4) International Birding Events held in Tianjin, co-hosted by CBCGDF and Tianjin government in March 2018. Thousands of birders and tourists gathered in this area and eco-tourism were promoted.

(5) Helped to stop down listing of Relic Gulls by IUCN Red list in 2017. Some CBCGDF's staff are IUCN SSC members, and actively input and provided data for their decision-making.

"Editor's note" By / Linda

As China further develops parts of its coastline, at least one bird species further says goodbye to its habitat. Relict Gulls now face possible extinction. Some bird lovers are helping their cause, but they say more needs to be done. CGTN's Zhao Yunfei introduces us to one such volunteer group in Tianjin.

Patrolling China's coastlines. It's a rewarding routine for environmentalist Wang Jianmin and his friends.

They are protecting the bird habitat in Bohai Bay where many migrant birds hibernate in the intertidal zone.

Today, the volunteers are looking for Relict Gulls, a species now in the "vulnerable" category by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

There are only 15 thousand of them still left in the world.

WANG JIANMIN, DIRECTOR NORTH YANGTZE RIVER WETLAND PROTECTION CENTER "Relict Gulls face a big threat. We sincerely hope that local governments, where the gulls breed and live pay close attention to it. They should establish offices for research and protection."

Every winter, Relict Gulls fly to Tianjin. They reside in the wetland area.

Clams and shrimp are their major food. Without food, they die.

But people and other creatures love clams and shrimp, too.

WANG JIANMIN, DIRECTOR NORTH YANGTZE RIVER WETLAND PROTECTION CENTER "Seagulls always gather by the shore. But our mudflat is significantly destroyed. Overfishing is an issue and the land reclaiming has occupied much of the fine ecological resources. Relevant departments haven't taken much of the responsibility."

ZHAO YUNFEI TIANJIN "This place used to be a mudflat area, but now it is completely filled. You can even see a high-rise behind me. In the last few decades, rampant land reclamation for port development had been destroying the habitat of Relict Gulls. The volunteers have united to raise awareness to boost the breeding of the endangered species."

Between 2002 and 2017, China legally approved a total of nearly 1.6 billion square meters of land reclamation.

But that only accounts for 12 percent of the newly added construction land in coastal areas across the country over the same period.

In 2018, China introduced regulations to demolish illegally reclaimed land and stopped approving general reclamation projects.

Volunteer organizations have played an important role in getting the orders implemented.

ZHU BAOGUANG VOLUNTEER "We are the eyes of these issues. And the government is the fist to beat the crime. We report the illegal activities to the police and they are there to take action."

A ban is just a just a ban. The volunteers say it's crucial to raise awareness.

They say bird protection should be a global effort for the sake of the ecosystem as a whole.

Zhao Yunfei, CGTN, Tianjin.

Original news article:

https://news.cgtn.com/news/306b444e31494464776c6d636a4e6e62684a4856/share_p.html