Seminar on Wetland Protection Law (draft): Grasp the Mechanism of Wetland for Legislative Protection
2021/3/9 17:41:00 本站

Right after the Spring Festival in 2021, on February 19, the Research Department of CBCGDF hosted a seminar on the Wetland Protection Law (draft). Yaoru Lu, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, was invited to the meeting and put forward suggestions to the draft. Here are some takeaways.

 1、   The necessity and basic principles of legislative protection of wetlands

Wetland is a geological phenomenon of natural environment, and it is closely related to people's daily life, construction projects, and comprehensive development. Wetland is not only a resource, but also a basic background for the environment. Most human beings only see its value as water.Wetland, in fact, is a valuable natural resource, gathering lands, water, and lives. The combination of the three reflects the natural beauty and characteristics of the geological environment.

2、   Classification of wetland and corresponding investigation and monitoring results

(1) Types of wetlands

1.      Water from snow cover at the source of big rivers gathers to form downstream wetland or ponds.

2.      The confluence of large rivers forms natural wetlands to regulate floods.

3.      Wetlands also exists near the Coastal tidal flats where mangroves grow.

4.      The big river deltas also develop into wetlands, forming a large water network and incorporating floods and ocean tides.

5.      Some wetlands are formed because of the presence of springs.

6.      Because of tectonic activity, the faulted basin occurs and then groundwater converges and discharges, forming wetlands.

7.      When soft silt deposits and pushes groundwater to surge, the surface water gathers more to form a new kind of wetland.

8.      Wetlands can be formed by rising groundwater level higher than the earth’s surface.

9.      Tidal wetlands are developed when a shallow water level is left behind because of a water resisting layer after the rising and ebbing of floods.

If we do not study the causes of wetland formation, blind wetland development will bring endless trouble. Geological survey and monitoring of wetland is also necessary.

 3、   Suggestions on wetland protection law (draft)

The Wetland Protection Law (draft) has been put forward at a proper time. Of course, it is not perfect. Two things should be stressed:

1.      The change of wetland is affected by natural and human factors.

2.      Legislation should take a leading role with multiple stakeholders participating, including Ministries of Natural Resources, Water Conservancy, agriculture and Rural Area, Ecology and Environment, and Housing and Rural-Urban Development. Chinese Academy of Science and Chinese Academy of Engineering, together with civil societies like CBCGDF, should all take part.


Translator/WL


Original Chinese article:

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/WMUkg-SMu4KfQljmF46QiQ


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