09 Nov 2007 - Beijing,
China – A new wetland conservation network
has been established along the central and
lower Yangtze River, providing a platform
for management organizations, research institutions,
social groups and the public to protect
wetlands and battle climate change.
Wetlands are critical to mitigating climate
change — they have an important and underestimated
role in carbon storage and greenhouse gas
regulation.
Supported by the WWF-HSBC Partnership Programme,
the network of 20 wetland conservation areas
is the first of its kind in China
“With this new initiative, the overall
protected area will see a remarkable increase
if the separated wetlands are networked
together,” said Li Lin, Head of Conservation
Strategies at WWF China.
“This will significantly boost conservation
effectiveness.”
The 20 wetland sites, covering an area
of some 1 million hectares, represent a
diverse range of habitats and are home to
numerous species. The wetlands, however,
are threatened by ecological degradation
and water pollution as a result of economic
development and urbanization.
WWF has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
with the Wetlands Conservation Network,
offering training to monitor waterfowl and
climate data, as well as to work together
on policy advocacy and awareness-raising
campaigns.
Yang Man, Communication Coordinator
WWF China, Wuhan Office
