Conservation takes root among students

About 40 students from Kashgar city in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region recently found themselves at the edge of the blue sea for the very first time.

Standing in Futian Mangrove Ecological Park in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, they marveled at the sprawling ocean and the lush, green mangroves — a stark contrast to their hometown where sprawling grasslands, rolling Gobi deserts and the snow-capped Kunlun Mountains go on as far as the eye can see.

For these middle school students from diverse ethnic groups, this was a journey of firsts: their first glimpse of the sea, their first encounter with mangroves, and their first sight of the migratory birds that called the sanctuary home.

Meanwhile, back in the ancient city of Kashgar, another group of students embarked on their own journey of discovery. Guided by enthusiastic volunteers, they lifted binoculars to their eyes or looked into telescopes for the first time, exploring the familiar yet unexplored world of local bird-life at the Beihu (North Lake) Park.

These experiences were part of the "2026 Shenzhen-Kashgar Cultural Exchange Season: Journey of Mountains and Seas". The initiative was born from the desire of aid workers from Shenzhen in Xinjiang to foster a deeper connection between the two regions and find an innovative way to support the development of the areas — the city of Kashgar and Tashikurgan Tajik autonomous county.

Since May of this year, aid workers from Shenzhen have been exploring innovative strategies to bridge the significant geographical and cultural divide between the two regions. One of their attempts was bird-watching.

"Bird-watching has become a quite popular leisure activity for many Shenzhen residents, helping to elevate our city's environmental awareness, thanks to our long-term efforts in mangrove and migratory bird conservation," a leader of the Shenzhen Aid-Xinjiang Forward Command Post's "cultural nourishment to Xinjiang" program told China Daily.

"We figured out that we could promote bird-watching and ecological education in the schools we support in Kashgar, using ecology as a bond for cooperation and communication, exploring a new path for ecological aid to Xinjiang, and promoting Shenzhen-Kashgar interaction, exchange, and integration."

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.

Beihu trip

A month later, on the afternoon of Sept 24, Beihu Park in downtown Kashgar became a hub of excitement as it welcomed a group of young "bird-seekers" — eager students from the Shen-Ta Junior High School and the No 18 Primary School in Kashgar, accompanied by their teachers.

Awaiting their arrival were experienced bird-watching guides, including Zhong Jia, co-founder of the Rosefinch Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting bird-watching and conservation. Alongside her were four participants from the Kashgar Bird-watching Race, an integral part of the "Journey of Mountains and Seas" project, ready to introduce the students to the art of birding.

The guides taught the students how to effectively use binoculars and telescopes and led them in small groups to explore the avian life in the park.

Before the activity started, Zhong explained that Gou Jun, one of the race judges and a seasoned organizer of bird surveys in the region, had recommended the 10 most common birds found in Kashgar. This list included species such as the common pheasant, hoopoe, mallard, and the Eurasian collared dove.

Volunteers from the Rosefinch Center, one of the co-organizers of the event, had prepared large-sized photographs of each species as visual aids for the students. "Before we began," Zhong said, "we familiarized them with these birds, encouraging them to identify and find these species in the park on their own."

With binoculars in hand, the students began eagerly searching for avian activity.

"It feels so good," said an excited Zalikarbek, one of the students. "I recognized red-billed gulls and common cormorants today. Being in nature is wonderful! It enriched my learning and broadened my horizons, making me more eager to explore."

Aike, another student, added that the activity had honed his observation and critical thinking skills, while instilling a deeper reverence for nature.

Zhang Jiaqi, a teacher from the school, praised the outdoor classroom as an excellent interdisciplinary practice, where students actively observed and inquired, sparking scientific curiosity.

"Guess how many species the students discovered during their two-hour tour," Zhong said. "The answer is 25, far beyond our expectations."

Journey to the sea

The project culminated with the arrival of another group of 40 Kashgar students at the Futian Mangrove Ecological Park in Shenzhen on Sept 28. For the first time, they saw the ocean, walked among the mangroves, meaning "red trees" in Chinese, learned that the "red trees" weren't actually red, and understood the vibrant coastal ecosystem that is one of Shenzhen's ecological gems.

The park offered a multi-faceted experience: an exhibition, an "Otter and Friends" board game, and outdoor exploration.

Students discovered the mangroves' unique ways of reproduction, traced migratory bird routes, and learned about wetland food chains. On the mudflats, they observed the Shenzhen River and searched for hidden gems of nature, unlocking multiple "firsts" in their lives.

Liu Wangwang, a teacher accompanying the students, told the Shenzhen Evening News: "This mangrove study tour is not just a nature class; it's a vivid practice of interaction, exchange, and integration for the youth of Shenzhen and Kashgar. It's a cross-mountain and sea exchange ... and a lively extracurricular lesson for the children."

Akedan Kareman, a student from Kashgar, felt a sense of wonder standing by the Shenzhen sea. "Kashgar has desert poplars guarding the Gobi desert, and Shenzhen has mangroves guarding its coast," she said. "This trip opened my eyes, and I learned so much beyond textbooks, realizing how important it is to protect nature."

Another student, Abdullah Maimaiti, looking at the lush vegetation, thought of his homeland. "Shenzhen's abundant greenery reminds me of the Gobi in Kashgar; I hope my hometown will also be lush and green in the future."

Avian race

After the Beihu tour, Zhong, the four volunteers and 27 other birding enthusiasts from 19 provincial-level regions, started the bird-watching race, also a synchronous bird survey, from Kashgar city to Tashikurgan.

It was not only the first bird-watching competition held in Xinjiang, but also the longest, farthest, and highest-altitude birdwatching event with the greatest elevation difference among simultaneous bird races in the country.

Having kicked off on Sept 25 at 8:30 am and concluded on Sept 29 at 8:30 pm, the race spanned 108 hours over five calendar days.

Each four-member team was expected to travel over 1,200 kilometers, with the highest point of the competition reaching over 4,700 meters above sea level.

The competition area included Kashgar city and its surroundings, stretching southward to Tashikurgan.

Participants in eight teams had four recommended routes and 20 classic birdwatching spots to explore, each offering different altitudes and habitats.

The successful hosting of the event was built on years of ecological afforestation and wetland restoration efforts in Kashgar. In 2018, with financial support from Shenzhen and other regions, Kashgar began constructing an ecological afforestation base utilizing reclaimed water.

After years of sustained investment, the once barren land now boasts hundreds of hectares of wetlands and forests and has become an important sanctuary for migratory birds. In early September, during a survey by Xinjiang bird enthusiasts including Gou, a record was set with the sighting of two flocks totaling 511 black storks, the highest number ever recorded in a single location in China.

"In the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, and in line with the overall requirements for aiding Xinjiang in the new era, hosting this bird-watching race aims to gain a deeper understanding of the avian resources in Kashgar," said the official with the Shenzhen Aid-Xinjiang Forward Command Post. "It also serves as a concrete practice of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization. In the future, we will continue to explore integrating the birdwatching economy with agriculture, culture, and tourism to promote the coordinated development of ecological tourism and new urbanization."