On March 6, the Wildlife and Wetland Conservation and Management Office of Wuhan Municipal Garden and Forestry Bureau (hereinafter referred to as the "Wildlife Conservation Wetland Office") won the honorary title of "Hubei Province 38 Red Flag Collective" in 2023.
There are a total of 6 staff members in the wildlife conservation wetland, including 4 women, known as the "Four Golden Flowers". The department is responsible for the protection and management of the city's terrestrial wildlife (including ancient and famous trees) and wetlands.
Liu Ai, director of the department, who was awarded the 2021 "Hubei Provincial 38 Red Flag Bearer", said: "We love this job because everything we do is closely related to ecological protection and the well-being of citizens. ”
Suspend aquatic weed cleanup
The breeding of waterfowl in 6 lakes was successfully concluded
In November 2022, Wuhan successfully hosted the 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Wetlands, at which it was awarded the "International Wetland City".
In May 2023, Wuhan established a municipal wetland protection joint conference system with the participation of seven departments, led by the Municipal Bureau of Gardens and Forestry.
In June, Liu Ai received a call for help from a volunteer from the Municipal Bird Watching Association**: North Taizihu Park is mechanically cleaning up aquatic weeds, and many bird nests are not in danger, please save these water birds!
After Liu Ai convened the second-level researcher Yu Hongmei, the liaison Li Yanjuan, and the informant He Miao, three golden flowers for consultation, decided to immediately start the wetland protection joint conference system.
After a moratorium on weed cleaning last summer, grey-winged duck chicks bred in Wanjiahu Park. Photo by Yan Jun.
Liu Ai communicated with the relevant person in charge of the Municipal Water Affairs Bureau and learned that the North Taizi Lake Park has created an "underwater forest" in the water treatment, and after 5 years of growth, the aquatic plants are now covered with the lake, attracting many summer migratory birds such as gray-winged gulls and pheasants to nest and breed. However, the surrounding residents reported that the aquatic weeds are changing seasons, and if they are not cleaned up, they will not only affect the lake landscape, but also be easy to rot and smell.
This is a long-term mechanism that must be resolved by the contradiction between humans and birds brought about by Wuhan's ecological improvement. Liu Ai suggested convening an on-site meeting attended by representatives of all parties, which was supported by the Municipal Water Affairs Bureau.
In the afternoon of the same day, Yu Hongmei and Li Yanjuan, on behalf of the Municipal Garden and Forestry Bureau, participated in the on-site meeting attended by the Municipal and District Water Affairs Bureau, construction units, ecological and environmental protection experts and volunteers of the Municipal Bird Watching Association, and put forward pertinent opinions and suggestions. After on-site consultation, a consensus was reached: suspend the cleaning of aquatic weeds and restart the operation after the end of the bird breeding season; Notices were posted to inform residents in the vicinity of the park and ask for their understanding and support.
Dozens of bird nests on the surface of North Taizi Lake have been preserved. Subsequently, five lakes, including Tanghu Park, Wanjiahu Park and Nanhu, also suspended the cleaning of aquatic weeds. By the end of September, the breeding of waterfowl in these six lakes was successfully completed. "Every waterfowl is important and should be protected. Liu Ai said that this time the joint efforts to protect summer migratory birds, the wetland joint conference system has made a great contribution.
After the suspension of aquatic weed cleaning last summer, the young birds of the water pheasant, a national second-class protected wild animal, were bred in Tanghu Park. Photo by Yan Jun.
Establish a demonstration site for habitat restoration
Nearly 100 Baer's Pochard returned
Wuhan is located in the center of the East Asian-Australasian migratory bird flyway, and is an important wintering ground, stopover and transit point for migratory birds traveling from south to north. Hundreds of thousands of migratory birds spend their winters and short stays in Wuhan every year. In the Shenhu wetland alone, there are more than 100,000 migratory birds wintering at its peak.
While guiding and urging all districts to do a good job in the protection of migratory birds in the city's 13 wetland nature reserves and wetland parks, the Wildlife Protection Wetland Department has strengthened the protection of important bird habitats such as Hongshan Tianxingzhou, Huangpi Qijiawan, Jiangxia Leopard Lake, Dongxihu Fuhe Swan Lake and so on. At present, these protected areas are basically equipped with Wuhan Smart Wetland System monitoring probes to monitor the wetlands 24 hours a day.
In April last year, the Municipal Wetland Conservation Center, together with relevant units, built a 433-acre Baer's Pochard habitat restoration demonstration site in Qijiawan, Huangpi.
Baer's Pochard is a critically endangered species with only more than 1,000 individuals in the world, and is a national first-class protected animal, known as the "bird giant panda". In 2014, Wuhan was recognized by the world's authoritative organization as the southernmost breeding ground of Baer's Pochard due to the discovery of evidence of Baer's Pochard breeding by birders.
Yu Hongmei introduced that the demonstration site was originally a shallow shrimp pond, and it was also the first place in Wuhan where Baer's Pochard breeding was discovered. Later, the area and surrounding shrimp ponds were converted into deep-water fish ponds, and Baer's Pochard, which had lost its plant shelter, flew away. In order to better protect Baer's Pochard, a demonstration site was built in Wuhan to simulate the Baer's Pochard wild habitat.
The Municipal Bird Watching Association found that by the end of last year, the demonstration site had attracted nearly 100 Baer's Pochards. President Yan Jun said that the demonstration site is like an oasis surrounded by fish ponds, providing a good shelter for Baer's Pochard to inhabit and winter, which is of great exemplary significance.
The reporter learned that the demonstration site was applied for the construction of national financial funds, and when the project was initially declared, the project implementation plan included two habitats of Qijiawan Baer's Pochard and Tianxingzhou Black Stork. After the initial review, Yu Hongmei believes that the Baer's Pochard demonstration site involves habitat restoration, and the funds required will be very large, and if the funds are used in a decentralized manner, it will be difficult to meet expectations. Referring to the fact that the black stork had applied for some municipal financial support, she suggested that the plan be adjusted and the funds should be concentrated to build a Baer's Pochard demonstration site. She also took the initiative to report and communicate with the forestry authorities at higher levels, and received understanding and support. After the adjustment of the plan, it passed the review smoothly.
Create an ancient tree park
Let more people get close to ancient trees
There are 1,803 ancient and famous trees in Wuhan, all of which have been managed and listed for protection. Many ancient trees have high appearance and deep heritage, but due to various conditions, the public feels that it is difficult to get close.
In recent years, Wuhan has been committed to building a "city of a thousand gardens", increasing the well-being of the people, and various new parks have sprung up. Can we combine urban renewal and park construction to create a number of ancient tree parks, so that more people can get close to, understand and love ancient trees? After discussing with Yu Hongmei, He Miao and others, Liu Ai reached an agreement.
In August 2023, after the completion and opening of Hanyang Tree Park, it has been well received by citizens and tourists and has become popular on the Internet, becoming an Internet celebrity park. In order to facilitate the smooth implementation of the project, the Wildlife Wetland Department continued to pay attention and provided relevant support.
Hanyang Tree Park. Photo by reporter Li Ziyun.
In October 2022, staff from the Qiaokou District Garden Bureau found a large tree growing in a building materials store surrounded by a building materials store in the Central China Building Materials Market. According to experts, the tree is a 150-year-old Gudu pear tree.
Pear Blossom Station in Qiaokou District. Photo by reporter Li Ziyun.
After receiving the report, the Wildlife Conservation Wetland Division recommended that the living environment of ancient trees be improved. The District Garden Bureau communicated with the market and the shopkeeper and reached a consensus: part of the façade of the building materials store was demolished and rebuilt into a pear blossom station with the theme of ancient trees. On behalf of the Municipal Garden and Forestry Bureau, Liu Ai, together with the District Garden Bureau and the person in charge of the market, agreed on the renovation plan and won the financial support of the higher authorities.
More than two months later, Ewha Station was completed and opened, and many citizens went to check in.
At present, the ancient tree park built by the Mulan Mountain Scenic Area in Huangpi District, with a 500-year-old ancient camellia tree as the "protagonist", has entered the final stage.
In 2023, Liu Ai (front) went deep into the Huangpi Mountains to inspect the protection of ancient and famous trees. (Photo courtesy of the Municipal Bureau of Gardens and Forestry).
This year, the Department of Wildlife Conservation and Wetland Management plans to support relevant urban areas to build three more ancient tree parks in the city.
Hundreds of wildlife protection messages are processed every year
The satisfaction rate is 100%.
In June last year, five raccoon dogs, a national second-class protected wild animal, broke into the Lianhu Jiayuan Community in Dongxihu District. Residents were worried about hurting the children in the community, and hit the mayor ** to reflect.
After the information was transferred to the Municipal Garden and Forestry Bureau, the "post-80s" Jinhua He Miao, who was responsible for handling the information on the shelter and rescue of wild animals, immediately followed the community to understand the details, and then transferred the information to the Dongxihu District Garden and Forestry Bureau. The bureau immediately sent staff to the door and handled it properly.
He Miao has been working in the Wildlife Conservation Wetland for eight years, and every year he has to process dozens of pieces of wildlife shelter and rescue information from various channels, ranging from dozens to hundreds. She will patiently communicate with the public, reply, and archive every message.
Last year, she processed hundreds of pieces of information without errors, and the public satisfaction rate was 100%. Colleagues from the Municipal Garden and Forestry Bureau praised her as "the most patient, meticulous and gentle wild protection golden flower".
Four Golden Flowers" (from left): He Miao, Yu Hongmei, Liu Ai, Li Yanjuan.
*: Yangtze River**).