February 2 marked the 27th World Wetlands Day. The World Wetlands Day 2023 Celebration in China was held in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province. It announced that 18 wetlands in China were designated in 2022 as Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. Hunan's Chongling Lake Wetland and Maoli Lake Wetland made the list.

Wetlands are transitional zones between land and water. Statistics show that wetlands supply 96% of China's available freshwater resources. Wetlands, which cover 6% of the Earth's land surface, provide a living environment for 20% of known species, and are also known as "species' gene pools".

Hunan is rich in wetland resources, with 755,900 hectares, or 74.13% of its wetlands under protection, ranking first in China. Among them, the Chongling Lake Wetland has 2,401.72 hectares of "primitive, unique and beautiful" wetland habitat. After continuous restoration and protection, the overall water quality of the wetland has met Class Ⅲ standards. The water quality of several sections can meet the Class Ⅱ standards for several months. A variety of animals and plants under national key protection have been monitored. The Maoli Lake Wetland is the largest stream lake in the province, with unique lake wetland resources and abundant water, fishery and forest resources.

According to the Hunan Provincial Department of Forestry, in recent years, Hunan has made solid progress in the protection and restoration of wetlands in the whole basin of "one lake and four rivers". A total of 1,406,700 mu (93.780 ha.) of degraded wetlands have been restored. About 420,300 mu (28,020 ha.) of populus nigra trees in the Dongting Lake have been cleaned away, 1,245,000 mu (83,000 ha.) of short fences and net fences demolished, and 84 sand and gravel wharfs and storage yards torn down. The number of rare and endangered wild animals in Hunan's wetlands has been on the rise thanks to systematic management. The number of wintering waterbirds in the Dongting Lake reached 378,300 in 2023, that of wild elk reaching 230, and that of finless porpoises remaining steady at about 120.

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn