Regulation protects wetland in largest Poyang lake
Author: A regulation went into effect Saturday in East China's Jiangxi Province for the protection of the
wetland in and around Poyang Lake, the country's largest freshwater lake. The regulation provided a legal basis for
the province to protect wetlands, dubbed the "kidneys of the earth", said Yan Jinliang, director of the
provincial forestry administration. "It will hopefully be a reference for the entire country in wetland
protection," he said. The regulation includes clauses on an annual spring fishing ban on the lake and protection of
wintering birds. It also bans grassland destruction, wildlife poaching, and sand and stone digging around the wetland.
"Most of the clauses were proposed by the local residents and have been included in the regulation after they were
proven effective," said Yan. The regulation, formulated in November 2003, requires the Jiangxi Provincial
People's Government to set up coordination departments to organize and supervise relevant departments and raise
funds to utilize and protect the wetland around Poyang Lake. Jiangxi is the second province to regulate wetland
protection following the northernmost Heilongjiang Province in August 2003. The wetland ecological system is one of the
three main ecological systems on the planet, along with forests and oceans. According to figures released by the United
Nations Environment Program, one hectare of wetland can create an annual production value of US$14,000, much greater
than tropical forests or cropland. However, in the past half century, wetlands around the globe have been deteriorating
owing to farm enclosure and grave environmental pollution. Covering an area of 5,000 sq km in the middle and lower
reaches of the Yangtze River, China's longest river, the Poyang Lake wetland is listed as one of the most crucial
wetlands in the world. Each winter, the lake receives more than 300,000 migrant birds in 116 varieties, including 3,900
Siberian white cranes -- total -- and other rare species such as hooded cranes and white-naped cranes.
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