Expanded area boon for biodiversity conservation

Editor's note: On Monday, the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China, a World Heritage Site, were expanded to include the Changshan Islands of Dalian, Liaoning province. Guangming Daily spoke to Lei Guangchun, head of the Center for East Asian-Australasian Flyway Studies, about why the islands were included in the World Heritage List, and what measures can help improve their conservation and development. Below are excerpts of the interview. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

The Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China encompass a wide range of habitats, including estuaries, intertidal zones, supratidal zones, high-tide roosts and islands. The Changshan Islands serve as a vital habitat for some key species, including hosting the world's largest breeding colony of Chinese egrets. Incorporating these islands into the sanctuaries is an important enhancement of the World Heritage Site, which was included on the World Heritage List in 2019 and expanded in 2024, when five areas that are located in Shanghai and Shandong, Hebei and Liaoning provinces were added. The inclusion enriches the types of migratory bird habitats within the sanctuaries and strengthens the integrity of the sanctuaries' ecosystem.

These sanctuaries represent a critical zone for global biodiversity conservation and a key segment along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, attracting intense international attention. Their recognition as a World Heritage Site plays an important role in promoting global biodiversity conservation, sustainable development and international exchanges and cooperation.

Effective conservation of these sanctuaries calls for joint efforts across different Chinese provinces and even international borders to ensure favorable conditions for migratory birds to breed, rest and overwinter.

Although the Changshan Islands are not contiguous to each other and do not form a single nature reserve, the marine parks, forest parks, special marine protected areas and scenic areas within the region merit protection. These different protected areas were established based on local natural conditions and socioeconomic needs.

For centuries, fishermen have lived and worked on the islands while preserving the habitats of migratory birds. Fisheries and aquaculture make food resources more accessible to the birds, while rafts and fishing nets offer resting places for birds foraging at sea.

It is recommended that habitat conservation efforts be integrated with the sustainable socioeconomic development of local communities. Management plans and policies, especially for ecotourism and ecological compensation, should be improved. Furthermore, we can draw on international standards and experience to properly develop this World Heritage Site.

Now that the islands have been included in the World Heritage List, more efforts are needed to enhance their protection and management, aligning conservation objectives with development goals.

The expansion constitutes a major contribution by China to the conservation and management of the world's natural heritage.