In the summer landscape of Nyingchi city, Southwest China’s Xizang autonomous region, the Niyang River winds through verdant stretches of vegetation, with waterbirds frequently gliding overhead.
This thriving area is the Yani National Wetland Park, spanning 8,738 hectares, of which 5,373 hectares are wetlands. It serves as a vital biodiversity hotspot, a wintering ground for waterbirds, and a key ecological barrier safeguarding southwestern China’s frontier.
Barely more than a decade ago, the scene was starkly different. The Niyang riverbanks were sparsely vegetated, with exposed sand that fueled fierce dust storms in autumn and winter. Summer floods routinely eroded shores and inundated farmland.
“Back then, the bare sandbars had only a few scattered trees, and the riverbanks were littered with garbage,” recalled GesangCuomu, a 35-year-old villager from Seguola village in Bayi district of Nyingchi and a wetland ranger for more than a year.
Today, 70-odd rangers, including GesangCuomu, patrol their assigned zones daily. Their duties include clearing litter, rescuing wildlife, monitoring tree health, and preventing illegal sand excavation, hunting, or theft.
Restoration began with a pilot project in 2009. After the park administration was established in 2016, 176 million yuan ($2,618,600) was invested in infrastructure, ecological repair, and monitoring. More than 86.7 hectares of riverside land were planted with alpine pines, willows and other suitable species. Local villagers actively joined the work.
Complementing on-the-ground patrols is a robust scientific monitoring system developed in partnership with institutions such as Tibet University. In 2022, a national ecosystem observation and research station was inaugurated at the site. Surveys have recorded 534 vascular plant species and 234 wild animal species, reflecting rising biodiversity and ecosystem stability.
Ecological recovery has also delivered tangible benefits to nearby communities. In Liding Village (75 households, 355 people), annual per capita income once hovered below 10,000 yuan ($1,488), relying mainly on traditional farming and herding.
With wetland protection and tourism development, roughly 70 percent of residents now earn income through land transfers, scenic-area jobs, and sales of local produce and specialties, generating more than one million yuan in collective revenue. By 2025, per capita income exceeded 30,000 yuan ($4,463), said CirenZhaxi, a young cadre at Liding village.
