It would be a pity to tell the story of Yangtze River protection and only do research behind closed doors! It is recommended that the Chinese sturgeon protection base be opened to visitors
Chongming Island is located at the estuary of the Yangtze River and is at the forefront of biodiversity protection. It is also the only unique habitat for the life cycle of the fish "living fossil" Chinese sturgeon. In 2016, the Yangtze Estuary Chinese Sturgeon Protection Base was completed and put into use, further improving the Shanghai Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Research Center’s protection of rare and endangered species such as the Yangtze Estuary Chinese Sturgeon and the Yangtze Finless Porpoise. This is also an important part of the construction and development of Chongming's world-class ecological island. As a Chongming person, I am deeply proud.
However, due to the lack of relevant publicity and public participation activities, even Chongming Island residents like me know very little about the monitoring, investigation and protection work done by the Chinese Sturgeon Conservation Base for the ecological protection of the Yangtze River. Moreover, as an ecological island, Chongming District also lacks a popular science education base that can systematically display characteristic aquatic organisms such as Chinese sturgeon, Yangtze finless porpoise, and swordfish. It also lacks an open mass experience platform for aquatic life protection and a platform for the public to participate in environmental protection activities. The venue is not perfect yet.
The Yangtze River Estuary is a display window for the ecological demonstration effect of the Yangtze River Basin. The Chinese Sturgeon Conservation Base is located near the estuary of the Yangtze River. It has an advantageous geographical location and is a gathering area for various aquatic organisms. It has typical biological environments such as tidal flats and intertidal zones within Shanghai, and it also has rich reserves of biological specimens, making it an ideal place for close observation. An excellent window to understand the aquatic ecological environment of the Yangtze River. The conservation base has strong scientific research support and a professional scientific research team, and has a good foundation for carrying out science popularization and education. However, after the conservation base was built, more research was done behind closed doors and was not open to the public. The role of the ecological display window and science popularization platform was not played as it should be.
I believe that the ecological protection of the Yangtze River Estuary is not just a matter for relevant departments and research institutions. It should inspire the common consciousness and conscious actions of the whole society to implement the important article of ecological protection. I recommend:
The first is to open the Chinese sturgeon protection base to visitors. Combined with the actual work of the protection base, the space should be reasonably planned according to the functions of scientific research, protection, and education, and open to the public at an appropriate time. Let more citizens enter the scientific research center and experience the forefront of biodiversity protection, and improve the ecological restoration of the Yangtze Estuary waters. understanding of the cause to help build a world-class ecological island in Chongming.
The second is to tell the ecological protection story of the Yangtze Estuary well. Increase publicity through WeChat public accounts, official websites, news media and other platforms. It is also recommended that the conservation base cooperate with schools, communities, etc. to build and cooperate in research, so that the conservation base can become a practice base for students outside the classroom. In conjunction with International Biodiversity Day, World Environment Day, National Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Science Promotion Month, etc., we will strengthen the popularization and publicity of public knowledge, and explain Shanghai's measures and achievements in aquatic life protection and rescue, ecological resource research and development, etc.