New wetlands help to transform tourist capital

The Meishe River National Wetland Park, covering 14,000 square meters, took shape in nine months on top of a former waste dump last year.

Regarded as the largest functional eight-stage terraced field ever built in China, the wetland can treat 5,000-8,000 metric tons of domestic sewage every day and has become an oasis for water plants and all kinds of waterfowl. It has been awarded the appellation "National Water Conservancy Scenic Area". Yu said Haikou's ecological restoration efforts had created wetlands within city areas.

"They have improved water quality and enhanced the regenerative abilities of the local ecological systems and played an important role in resisting floods, regulating runoffs and refining the climate," he added.