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Jinan, September 16th, Xinhua News Agency (Xinhua) -- A New Chapter on Ecological Protection in the Lower Yellow River in Shandong Province

Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhang Wuyue

Water birds rest and dance in the Gaoqing section of Shandong in the lower reaches of the Yellow River. Shen Jizhong

In early autumn, under the decoration of various trees along the Huaiyin Yellow River embankment in Jinan, Shandong, the greenery is fully displayed. Riding a shared bike and shuttling along the embankment road, enjoying the beauty of the Yellow River, has become a fashionable sport for many citizens.

"In recent years, the Yellow River has been the same year by year. The days when dust and dust could fly with strong winds are gone forever." Mr. Wang, a citizen who grew up by the Yellow River, looked at the river flowing eastward in front of him and sighed sincerely.

The forest is thin and continuous, and the river grows endlessly. The intertwined ecological corridor of wave break forests, pedestrian forests, and suitable forests forms the green foundation of the lower reaches of the Yellow River. "For many years, we have vigorously implemented the greening and beautification of the Yellow River embankment, with a total of 35 million trees and a green area of over 210000 acres.".

The Yellow River flows endlessly, nurturing the Chinese nation and nurturing Chinese civilization. Chinese people not only express gratitude to their mother river, but also strive to achieve the peace of the Yellow River.

In Gaoqing County, Zibo, before the Yellow River enters the sea, it turns a bend and is called "Anlan Bay" by the local people. Nowadays, the scenery here is beautiful, with wetlands and flocks of egrets. The beautiful scenery before us is hard to imagine. A few years ago, "Anlan Bay" was a saline alkali waterlogged depression, lacking vegetation protection, and covered in sand and soil.

In order to accelerate the comprehensive pollution control and optimize the ecological spatial layout along the Yellow River, the local government has launched the Swan Lake Slow City Wetland Ecological Protection and Restoration Project, which has achieved ecological restoration of saline alkali waterlogged areas on the Yellow River Bund in just a few years. 2 million square meters of wetlands have been restored, forming a green area of 1.9 million square meters, with over 80 species and 20000 trees, and a greening rate of over 80%.

The qualitative changes in the ecological environment have attracted a large number of birds to stop. Local photography enthusiast Zhang Liguo has achieved his wish in recent years, using his camera to record batches of swans returning to Gaoqing for winter. When asked about his feelings when he captured a swan, his lover rushed to say, "Lao Zhang is so happy like a child."

Shandong Province strengthens systematic governance, coordinates ecological governance in key areas along the Yellow River, and takes the lead in achieving full coverage of horizontal ecological compensation in inter county river basins nationwide. The main environmental indicators in the province, especially in the Yellow River Basin, have reached the best level since monitoring records began. In 2022, the Shandong section of the Yellow River has achieved a 100% proportion of Class II water bodies in the national control section for 7 consecutive years, and the proportion of excellent water bodies in the national control section of the Yellow River Basin has reached 100% for the first time.

In the city of Dongying at the mouth of the Yellow River, Yang Huazhang, the "ecological police chief," conducts remote inspections of a 477 square kilometer area through 13 screens and 252 monitoring probe images in the command hall every day after starting work.

The Oriental White Stork was photographed in the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve. Photo by Guo Xulei, journalist from Xinhua News Agency

"The national first-class protected animal, the Oriental White Stork, is our 'city bird'. There are over 2000 of them in the protected area. They usually build nests at high places, so the protected area has built a batch of 'artificial bird nests' equipped with high point monitoring. Watching them grow up safely, we are very reassured, and it's not a bit tiring to work hard," said Yang Huazhang. Over the years, they have discovered and rescued tens of thousands of various birds during patrols and case investigations.

The wetland is vast, and the reeds are green. Storks and cranes dance together, while gulls and egrets gather for flight. The police officers were accustomed to watching the sunset of the Yellow River and the flying geese from north to south, and also witnessed the ecological environment and public security situation of the Yellow River Delta becoming better and better.

Biodiversity is the foundation for human survival and development. Shandong strengthens the management of protected areas and maintains the integrity of habitats. The number of bird species in the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve has increased from 187 in 1992 to 373, and more and more birds are settling down here.

Visiting along the Yellow River, while the natural scenery flows in, the cultural landscape that echoes each other also shines brightly. In Binzhou Bincheng District, the Yellow River passes through the foot of the Yellow River Tower. In the clear water and blue sky, the lush Puhu Wetland blends with the magnificent cultural scenery, showcasing the endless cultural charm to the public.

Entering the Yellow River Tower, there are themed exhibitions featuring panoramic views of the Yellow River, tracing the source of the Yellow River, and the Anlan Yellow River, integrating the history of Yellow River governance, scenery along the route, ecological protection of the Yellow River Basin, and major national strategies for high-quality development. "We focus on the creative transformation and innovative development of the Yellow River culture, and have set up activities such as intangible cultural heritage and handcrafted experiences. We have developed more than 30 cultural and creative products, allowing tourists to touch the Yellow River culture and appreciate the charm of the Yellow River while visiting the Yellow River Tower," said Wang Cuiqin, the person in charge of the Yellow River Tower scenic area.