"World Heritage" Tiaozini Wetlands, Once Threatened: Remembering the Contributions of Volunteers and Grassroot Conservationists Today


Yesterday, I saw someone sharing the news of being invited to the "2023 Global Coastal Forum Conference" which was just held in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province. I congratulate them. However, some of my grassroots friends and I have not participated the event.


Coastal wetlands are essential for nature conservation. Coastal provinces rich in natural resources often prioritize economic development reflected in GDP figures. Natural resources, such as intertidal mudflats, which may seem barren and unproductive, are often overlooked or exploited. In fact, many coastal mudflats, which serve as habitats, have gradually disappeared due to land reclamation. Thanks to the mainstreaming of Ecological Civilisation over recent years, now coastal mudflats have been increasingly valued.


Today, I want to write this article primarily in response to recent reports about the "2023 Global Coastal Forum Conference." Despite the tireless efforts of my grassroots friends and me over the past eight years to protect the Tiaozini mudflats in Jiangsu, which are now designated as a World Heritage site and have received extensive media coverage and public attention, we have never received an invitation to the "Global Coastal Forum Conference." It's not surprising: history often tends to be selectively forgotten, and "different voices" are easily ignored. I'm not surprised because there are many "dominant" voices in the conservation field today that often selectively forget certain issues in early 2017.


So today, I want to talk about the contributions of volunteers and hope that their contributions will be remembered by history.


10 years ago, some volunteers had a deep appreciation for the preciousness of Jiangsu's coastal wetlands. The "Tiaozini" wetlands, which are now recognized as a World Heritage site, were once at risk of reclamation. Tiaozini is a best habitat for millions of migratory birds. In 2015-2017, though, this internationally significant wetland had no protection status and was threatened by the "Million Hectare Mudflat Reclamation" project. Initially, Tiaozini was not included in the first-phase application for the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea World Heritage site.


The ecological significance of Tiaozini was too significant to ignore. After hearing that the Tiaozini was not included, Dr. Zhou Jinfeng, the Secretary-General of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF), issued a public appeal in the spring of 2017, urging that the Tiaozini Wetlands in Dongtai City, Yancheng, Jiangsu, should be included in the list. Plus, he contacted world heritage assessment experts and advised them to go to the Tiaozini Wetlands to see and to interview local grassroot conservationists. After continuous efforts from various parties, this seemingly desolate coastal wetland has been preserved and has later became a World Heritage site.


I hope readers know this history. I also hope that the organizers of the "Global Coastal Forum Conference" in Jiangsu can be more open and will truly appreciate the contributions made by those who worked hard to protect the Tiaozini Wetlands.


(Please note that this article represents the author's views and does not reflect the CBCGDF platform's perspective)


Article by Yihang Shen

Translated by Wendy

Editor: Samantha


——————————————


[Reference Sources]

1. State Council's approval of "Land and Space Planning of Jiangsu Province (2021-2035)" (in Chinese)

https://x.m.mnr.gov.cn/m/gk/ghjh/202308/t20230803_2796251.html

2. People's Daily: National Committee member and CBCGDF Chairman Xie Boyang's proposal: Strengthen protection of intertidal mudflat wetlands (March 15, 2016) (in Chinese)

http://ccn.people.com.cn/n1/2016/0314/c366510-28197781.html

3. Zhou Jinfeng: Jiangsu Tiaozini should be included in the world heritage nomination for the "Bohai Bay-Yellow Sea Coastal Zone" (June 19, 2018) (in Chinese)

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4854/5459.html

Contact: V10@cbcgdf.org; +8617319454776




Editor: Samantha

Contact: V10@cbcgdf.org; +8617319454776


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