preserve wetland
20 14 10 13, China has included wetland protection in the performance appraisal of party committees and governments at all levels.
Important significance
It is not only rich in resources, but also has great environmental regulation function and ecological benefits. All kinds of wetlands have played an important role in providing water resources, regulating climate, conserving water sources, homogenizing floods, promoting land reclamation, degrading pollutants, protecting biodiversity and providing production and living resources for human beings.
(1) Ecological benefits of wetlands
Maintain biodiversity. The biodiversity of wetlands occupies a very important position. Wild animals and plants that depend on wetlands for survival and reproduction are extremely rich, many of which are rare and endemic species. They are important areas with rich biodiversity and are habitats for endangered birds, migratory birds and other wild animals. Among more than 40 species of birds protected at the national level, about 1/2 live in wetlands. China is one of the countries with the richest wetland biodiversity. There are 57 species of endangered birds in Asia, and 3 1 species has been found in China wetland. There are 15 species of cranes in the world, and there are 9 species of cranes in China wetland. Many wetlands in China are the habitats of rare waterfowl and fish of international significance. Natural wetland environment provides birds and fish with abundant food and good space for survival and reproduction, which plays an important role in species preservation and protection of species diversity. Wetland is an important genetic database, which is of great significance for maintaining the survival of wild species and screening and improving commercially meaningful species. The new rice varieties bred by cross breeding of wild rice in China have the characteristics of high yield, high quality and disease resistance, which have produced great benefits in improving grain yield.
Flood storage and natural disaster prevention. Wetlands play a very important role in controlling floods and regulating water flow. Wetland plays an important role in storing water, regulating river runoff, replenishing groundwater and maintaining regional water balance, and is a natural "sponge" for storing water and preventing floods. The seasonal and annual distribution of precipitation in China is uneven. By regulating natural and artificial wetlands, excess water from rainfall and rivers can be stored to avoid floods and ensure stable water supply for industrial and agricultural production. Many lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, such as Dongting Lake, Poyang Lake and Taihu Lake, used to store water and prevent countless floods. Many reservoirs have played a great role in flood control and drought relief. Many coastal wetlands resist the influence of waves and tides and prevent the erosion of the coast by wind and waves. According to the research data of Chinese Academy of Sciences, the storage capacity of swamp wetland in Sanjiang Plain is 3.84 billion cubic meters. Due to the regulation of large flood plain wetland in the upper reaches of Naoli River, the flood peak value in the lower reaches can be reduced by 50%. In addition, wetland evaporation produces rainfall in the nearby area, which stabilizes the regional climate conditions and has the function of regulating the regional climate.
Degradation of pollutants. With the introduction of pesticides, industrial pollutants and toxic substances from industrial and agricultural production, other human activities and natural processes (such as runoff), biological and chemical processes in wetlands can degrade and transform toxic substances, benefiting local and downstream areas.
⑵ Economic benefits of wetlands
Provide a wealth of animal and plant products. China ranks first in the world in fish production and rice production; Lotus, lotus root, water chestnut, clam and some fish, shrimp, shellfish and algae in shallow water provided by wetland are nutritious non-staple foods; Some wetland animals and plants can also be used as medicine; Many animals and plants are important raw materials for developing light industry, such as reeds, and are important raw materials for papermaking. The utilization of wetland animal and plant resources also indirectly promotes the development of processing industry; Agriculture, fishery, animal husbandry and sideline production in China depend on the natural resources provided by wetlands to a considerable extent.
Provide water resources. Water is an indispensable ecological factor for human beings, and wetland is the main water source for human development, agricultural production and urban life. Numerous swamps, rivers, lakes and reservoirs in China play a great role in water transmission, storage and water supply.
Provide mineral resources. Wetlands have all kinds of mineral sand and salt resources. Alkaline lakes and salt lakes in Qinghai-Tibet and Mongolia-Xinjiang regions of China are relatively concentrated, with complete salts and huge reserves. Salt lake not only contains a large number of common salts such as salt, mirabilite, trona and gypsum, but also contains many rare elements such as boron and lithium. Some important oil fields in China are mostly located in wetlands, and the development and utilization of underground oil and gas resources in wetlands is of great significance to the national economy.
Energy and water transport. Wetlands can provide a variety of energy sources, and hydropower plays an important role in power supply in China. The hydropower reserves rank first in the world, reaching 680 million kilowatts, with great development potential. There are many estuaries and harbors along the coast of China, which contain huge tidal energy. Peat is directly excavated from the wetland and burned, and the forest and grass in the wetland as firewood is an important energy source in the countryside around the wetland. Wetlands have important water transport value, and the rapid economic development along the Yangtze River has largely benefited from this. China's inland waterway is about 654.38+million kilometers, and inland transportation bears about 30% of the freight volume.
(3) Social benefits of wetlands
Sightseeing and traveling. Wetlands have aesthetic functions such as natural sightseeing, tourism and entertainment, and many important tourist attractions in China are located in the wetland area. Coastal beaches and seawater are important tourism resources, and many lakes attract people's yearning for their spectacular natural scenery and become holy places for tourism and recuperation. Dianchi Lake, Taihu Lake, Erhai Lake and Hangzhou West Lake are all famous scenic spots, which can not only create direct economic benefits, but also have important cultural values. In particular, urban water bodies have important social benefits in beautifying the environment, regulating the climate and providing leisure space for residents.
The value of education and scientific research. Wetland ecosystem, diverse animal and plant communities, endangered species, etc. They play an important role in scientific research, providing objects, materials and experimental basis for education and scientific research. Some wetlands retain the past and present biological and geographical evolution information, which is of great value to the study of environmental evolution and paleogeography.
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How to protect and utilize wetlands abroad
From Old Industrial Zone to Urban Wetland Paradise
One of Britain's great experiences in wetland protection and utilization is to transform abandoned old industrial areas near the city into wetland parks. London Wetland Center is the world's first wetland park built in the center of a metropolis, only 25 minutes' drive from Buckingham Palace. Few people know that it used to be just four abandoned reservoirs. During the construction of the London Wetland Center, the local people have always held the consciousness that the wetland is an ecosystem, and the establishment and operation of the ecosystem will take some time, so the wetland park will have to wait for 8 years before it can be opened to the public. At the same time, scientific and technological personnel regularly monitor the recovery of organisms until there are a large number of aquatic plants here.
Today, it has become the largest urban constructed wetland system in Europe, with more than 300,000 species of aquatic plants and 30,000 different trees planted, and 180 species of birds inhabit and migrate all the year round.
Scientific management promotes the healthy development of wetlands
While protecting wetlands, how can we not only generate certain economic benefits, but also conduct scientific research? Japan's practice in this regard is worth learning.
The first is to strictly control the number of tourists. In order to avoid the significant impact of human activities on the wetland, once the number of tourists approaches or reaches the preset number, the wetland park will no longer be released; Second, it pays attention to entertainment. Many animal models in wetland parks are carved with cork, which not only reduces the production cost, but also sells cork for tourists to make their own small animal models. Third, the design of park facilities is reasonable. Hokkaido Wetland Park has designed the route for tourists to see the most landscapes, worked out the best viewing time, and provided a lot of information for tourists to read, so as to estimate the walking distance that tourists feel tired. Just set up a small pavilion for tourists to sit down and have a look, and you can also find some small pictures and materials of wetland animals and plants next to it. After the tour, the tourists had fun and learned happily.
Wetland scenic spots should also become a good scientific research base. Japan Piaohu Wetland Reserve has been observing migratory birds for many years. From the day the first bird arrived until the last bird left, it was recorded. The staff also set up a large number of cameras within two kilometers of the reserve, which can be enlarged at any time when necessary, so as to facilitate researchers or tourists to observe at close range without disturbing birds.
Improving wetland protection consciousness in practice
Not disturbing small animals is one of the requirements for studying and appreciating wetland creatures. In some countries in Europe and America, it is often seen that parents signal their children to be quiet because the birds next to them are sleeping. In return, the park will also open up a special area for visitors to get close to wetland animals and plants.
Minneapolis is the largest city in Minnesota, USA. There is a famous wildlife reserve in this city, which attracts a large number of tourists every year, especially primary and secondary school students. Small tourists can catch fish, shrimp and insects by themselves with small net bags and other tools, and observe and learn relevant biological knowledge under the microscope. In the experience area of Biwahu Wetland Park in Japan, visitors can reach into the pool to touch fish and pinch sea cucumbers, and adults and children will go into battle with their sleeves rolled up and have fun. In the Wetland Experimental School in Anshan, South Korea, students can pump water by themselves and introduce it into the sun pool to dry salt. Students can take the dried salt away from the beach near the school by themselves. The staff also planted various common plants in the wetland for students to identify.
Regional Linkage * * * Protecting Wetland Resources
A considerable part of wetland resources span many countries and regions. Therefore, regional linkage and cooperation have become an inevitable choice to protect the ecological environment such as wetlands. The migration of spotted-tailed snipe is a successful example.
Every year in late March, more than 5 million spotted-tailed snipes leave New Zealand in the southern hemisphere and fly to the beaches of China, North Korea and Japan in the northern hemisphere. They stay here for about five weeks, then continue to fly to Alaska to breed, and then fly back to New Zealand. This journey of more than 350,000 kilometers spans 22 countries and regions. Only with the joint efforts of these countries and regions can this migration be successfully completed.
To this end, Australia and Japan hold seminars for countries along the route every year to exchange data. The United States has also installed small satellite tracking devices worth $5,000 for some birds, and used three satellites to monitor the whole process. The data obtained are provided to relevant organizations in these 22 countries and regions free of charge. More importantly, all countries and regions try their best to protect the wetlands along the route, and do not easily develop these wetlands that may only be used by birds for a few weeks a year. Everyone knows that once they are on their way,
In a sense, protecting wetlands means protecting ourselves. In today's China, the huge population, rapid economic growth and limited land resources make wetland protection face severe challenges. This requires people from all walks of life, Qi Xin, to work together to participate in the action of protecting wetlands, so as to realize the national sustainable development strategy.