Conservation takes root among students

Sandpiper sister

As part of the first activity of the birdwatching campaign, Sun Lili, co-founder and executive director of Mangrove Conservation Foundation, a Shenzhen-based environmental nonprofit dedicated to the protection of wetlands and biodiversity, was invited to visit Shen-Ta (Shenzhen-Tashikurgan) Junior High School in Tashikurgan in August.

Affectionately known as "spoon-billed sandpiper sister", the conservationist captivated students with a lecture titled "The Story of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper — Finding the Lost 'Spoon' and the Bond of Life". She brought the vibrant tales of eastern coastal wetlands directly into a classroom on the Pamir Plateau.

She introduced to students the spoon-billed sandpiper, a sparrow-sized shorebird with a unique spatulate black beak, an iconic flagship species of coastal wetlands. Protecting it, she said, can safeguard hundreds of other shorebird species such as the Nordmann's greenshank and the great knot.

She spoke of the bird's epic migratory journey from the high Arctic tundra of Chukotka, Russia, across half the globe, making vital stops in wetlands such as Tiaozini in Jiangsu province before wintering in Zhanjiang, Guangdong and Southeast Asia.

This cross-border lifeline captivated the students, who learned how ordinary people can contribute to its protection through simple actions such as reducing plastic use and participating in citizen science.

Sun also discussed integrating nature education into the school curriculum with the school's teachers, and encouraged students to document their local mountains, rivers, and flora, fostering a love for natural sciences and environmental protection.