China's second largest freshwater lake, Dongting Lake, is making headlines these days.

A famous locale with impressive scenery and rich cultural connotations, the lake was recently disturbed by a plague of tens of billions of rats fleeing rising flood waters and biting their way through the surrounding cropland, igniting a fierce fight between man and rat.

Local officials on Wednesday rejected claims that the rats had been able to run rampant because of local residents' taste for the rodents' natural enemy - snakes.

Still, the drama has stirred discussion about efforts to protect the lake's environment. After all, it is an undisputable fact that serious pollution and human activities are damaging the area's ecosystem as well as the beauty of the lake.

Such discussions have been fueled by the recent drinking water crises caused by blooming blue-green algae.

While the proximate causes of the rat and algae crises may differ, the lessons learned from both situations are similar: It is high time we human beings paid back nature for over-exploiting it so extensively for so long.

Given the circumstances, it is necessary that we rethink a government-initiated expansion project on the shores of Dongting Lake.

The multi-billion project is aimed at restoring Yueyang Lou, a pagoda-style tower, to its former glory. Known as one of the four ancient towers of China, Yueyang Lou is famous for its grand views of the lake and distinctive construction style.

Nevertheless, it is likely that the expansion project will not serve the good intentions with which it was proposed.

If the environmental degradation is allowed to continue, visitors to the magnificent tower will find themselves looking out over a foul-smelling pit rather than the vast expanse of clear water that once inspired so much admiration.

Should this be the case, the costly tower will lose those qualities that once made it so charming. Hence, restoring the lake's ecosystem seems to be a much more reasonable priority.

(China Daily 07/20/2007 page10)