Changshan Islands join UNESCO World Heritage site as key bird habitat

The Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China were further expanded as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on Monday. During the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, Republic of Korea, a boundary adjustment for the serial property was approved, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

The newly added component, the Changshan Islands migratory bird habitat in Dalian, Liaoning province, spans more than 4,900 hectares and is home to over 140 bird species. It hosts the world's largest breeding site for Chinese egrets and provides a year-round habitat for first-class State-protected species, including the black-faced spoonbill and the Western Pacific spotted seal.

This approval marks the second expansion of the property, further enhancing its integrity. It also represents a key practice of China's integrated land-sea approach to the systematic protection of coastal natural resources, according to the administration.

The property was first inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2019 as China's first coastal wetland World Heritage Site, recognized for its critical role as a stopover for millions of migratory birds traveling along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.