On June 6, under the devoting promotion of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) as well as its “China Conservation Area for Relic Gulls at Tianjin” (CCAfa), and the Tianjin Binhai New Area Management Committee and Binhai New Area Agriculture Committee jointly organized an expert’s seminar themed “Tianjin the Eco-city’s Baguatan (Bagua Tidal Flat) Area Wetland and Migratory Bird Protection”. This seminar was aimed on the study and discussion about the protection of wetlands and migratory birds in the Baguatan area of the eco-city in Tianjin.

During the seminar, the relevant head of the Construction Bureau of Tianjin Binhai New Area reported to the experts three work plans that have already been prepared in the area: the addition of guardrails in the coastal area of the Baguatan in the eco-city; the addition of a radar tower in the aircraft carrier area; add lighting equipment to the Anyue East Road.

After listening to the relevant programs, Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, the Secretary-General of CBCGDF made several suggestions:

First, it is recommended to add guardrails to the coastal area of Baguatan in Tianjin Eco-City: It is recommended that the fences in each area require a certain degree of connectivity. In the world scope, the “habitat fragmentation” brought about by human infrastructure construction is a serious challenge. In 2017, China’s 19th National Congress report also mentioned the requirements for building “ecological corridors”. So how do you improve connectivity? It is also a consideration for this project. In addition, project construction needs to consider resource savings and ensure that night activities of birds are not affected. In order to prevent the bird from being scratched by the net, it is recommended to remove the wire mesh at the top of the fence.

The second is to plan for the addition of a radar tower for the aircraft carrier area: if it is necessary to build, it is recommended that the weather radar tower should consider the impact on birds and marine mammals when constructing a new geographical location, and try to stay away from the scope of bird activities. Radar site selection can refer to other provincial and municipal cases, and it must be ensured that it is reasonable and standardized.

Third, if the installation of streetlamps on Anyue East Road is necessary, the streetlamps should adopt the method of single-sided illumination. In order to meet the basic needs of people, reduce the number of streetlamps and lighting time as much as possible, and use clean energy as much as possible, it also gives nature the tranquility and harmony of the night, and achieves the goal of energy saving, carbon reduction and light pollution reduction.

Dr. Zhou also said that in order to protect the home of this relic gulls for a long time, it is recommended that this extremely important tidal flat be included in the ecological red line and that the "China Conservation area for Relic Gulls at Tianjin "officially included in China's protected area system.

In addition, in order to further encourage civil society organizations to participate in the protection of wild endangered animals and plants, the local government and relevant departments can jointly carry out the publicity work of "China Conservation Area for Relic Gulls at Tianjin" to enable more citizens to become volunteers and participate in conservation to demonstrate the participation of all walks of life’s civil participation in China's biodiversity conservation cause.

At the seminar, many experts made many suggestions on the disorder management and follow-up protection that the tidal flat is currently facing. Experts said that in the case of this tidal flat is currently unguarded, local governments should add long-term management agencies to manage the relevant facilities and control artificial activities; second, regular scientific testing and investigation should be conducted on the habitats of relic gulls and biological changes in the tidal flats. Among them, the endangered birds should be targeted as the key protection, and the related protection and popular science publicity should be strengthened. Finally, in the construction phase and the trial operation phase of the three programs of the relevant government departments, Relevant tests and investigations (for example, whether there are any phenomena that affect the normal activities of birds) should be carried out. The relevant departments should actively take countermeasures.

Dr. Zhou expressed his appreciation to the local government and relevant departments of Tianjin for actively taking effective measures in this habitat after the incident of “the destruction of the habitat of relics gulls by the extensive digging of clams at the Baguatan tidal flat”, and hoped that the authorities would make changes to the tidal flat after the meeting. And to formulate a more comprehensive protection plan, so that the current habitat will once again become the “heaven of relic gulls” and become a symbol of Tianjin’s ecological civilization.

(Photo credit: CBCGDF)

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4854/8885.html

By / Niu Jingmei