Qiantang wetland park gets US$6.85m worth of funds for ecological restoration

The Qiantang River Greater Bay Area Wetland Park was included in Zhejiang Province's "Blue Bay 2025-2026" initiative last week and will get 50 million yuan (US$6.85 million) for ecological restoration. It is hoped that the money will help improve environmental protection.

The wetland in Hangzhou Bay accounts for around 30 percent of the total area. It is a critical stop on the East Asia-Australasia migratory corridor for over 140 bird species, including black storks, swans, Oriental white storks, black-faced spoonbills and larger white-fronted geese.

The park's first phase opened this year, with the remainder still under construction.

The money aims to safeguard the park's ecological system through projects like restoration, public waterfront space and environmental enhancements. In two years, about 13 monitor stations and a big data supervisory system would be operational.

Two islands in the park will be transformed into bird paradises within the next two years. Local agencies will plant more water shrubs and trees to provide the birds with an ideal habitat. The foliage and fish populations will be expanded to further balance the natural system.

The bay area, with its wetlands, reeds, shrimp and fish, provides a perfect home for birds. Recent appearances of several rare species attest to the area's progress, particularly in the aquatic environment.

The funds will be used to further improve the water quality in shoals and marshes, increasing biodiversity and attracting more scarce species.

Local governments are also constructing service centers, bird-watching pavilions, waterfront promenades and docks within the park. Once completed, the park will provide a unique opportunity to observe both the "tidal trees" of the Qiantang River and local birdlife.

The Qiantang River has the world's largest tidal bore. The tide from Hangzhou Bay can cause waves to reach up to nine meters at the river mouth.

A "tidal tree" is a natural phenomenon that occurs when the tides retreat from the Qiantang River, creating an artistic natural wonder.

Wetlands are important not only for biodiversity, but also for water filtering, flood control and coastline stability. The park will incorporate educational areas to spread ecological knowledge and raise awareness about the importance of protecting wetland and wildlife.

This year, Zhejiang Province named the park as its top bird sanctuary. During winter, migratory birds use the mudflats of the Qiantang River as a temporary wintering site.

They typically rest for a few days before flying off again, refreshed. Hangzhou's bay area serves as a crucial transportation point to the south.

Birds typically visit or rest in Hangzhou in early December. Due to the late snowfall in northern China, this event may occur later this year. Most migratory birds break their journey into pieces and rest every 100 kilometers.

After two years of ecological restoration, the park is projected to be a paradigm of peaceful coexistence between wetlands, birds and aquatic plants.

Mudflats, shoals and marshes cover 10.9 percent of Zhejiang Province's total land. In 2020, the Zhejiang government initiated an ecological building project for coastal zones. The pilot region includes cities of Hangzhou, Ningbo and Wenzhou, as well as Haining and Haiyang counties.

The coastal zone in Haining and Haiyan counties combines bay space and paddy farms. Their extensive marshes are famous for producing freshwater fish. The area is defined by densely dotted mounds, where local farmers plow paddies. Now it is idyllic, with serene water and pastoral rural life.