Amidst the serene, cascading blue waves, communities of aquatic plants and hydrophytes beautifully complement each other. Schools of fish and graceful gulls gather, their presence accompanied by the melodies of rare migratory birds and the gentle hum of wetland insects. Together, they orchestrate a delightful rhythm that embodies the essence of life. Located in Huli District of Xiamen City, the Wuyuan Bay Wetland Park paints a vibrant tableau of the harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.
Wuyuan Bay Wetland Park in Huli, Xiamen: Image
As Xiamen’s “urban green lung” and the new “city parlor”, the Wuyuan Bay Wetland Park is the ecological habitat for 9 families and 25 species of wetland waterbirds and 17 families and 29 species of mountain forest flora. Additionally, it plays a crucial role as a significant rest stop for migratory birds traveling between north and south. Looking upward unveils a refreshing stretch of blue, while the surroundings present a delightful green panorama. However, this idyllic setting faces challenges due to the encroachment of invasive species such as apple snails, alligator weeds, and wedelia flowers. Their unchecked proliferation poses a severe threat to the original ecology for the survival of rare waterbirds and plants.
In light of this, the Huli government has taken measures to integrate procuratorial efforts with biological protection. The objective is to play a role in developing a modern environmental governance system and governance capacities based on the principles of the rule of law. Additionally, the government seeks to pioneer a Xiamen model for biodiversity protection with Chinese characteristics.
Huli District was recognized as a national demonstration zone for ecological protection in 2021. Within Huli’s Wuyuan Bay, the Blue-tailed Bee-eater Reserve is the only bird sanctuary in China that is located in a downtown area. Hailed as “the most beautiful little bird in China”, the blue-tailed bee-eater frequently visits the reserve, drawing avid bird-watchers and photography enthusiasts. To further promote public-interest litigation for the people and advance the cause of ecological protection, the Huli District People’s Procuratorate (Huli Procuratorate for short) has chosen to establish a liaison station in collaboration with the Xiamen Birdwatching Society. In December 2021, the Huli Procuratorate submitted the “Proposal on Strengthening Biodiversity Protection in Huli District”, which was highly valued by both the Xiamen Procuratorate and relevant municipal and district departments. On February 18, 2022, the Huli Procuratorate officially inaugurated the first Procuratorial Liaison Station for Biodiversity Protection at the Xiamen Birdwatching Society. This marks a significant milestone as it is the first procuratorial liaison station for biodiversity protection in the province.
Wang Gengru, Director of the Fifth Procuratorial Department, Huli Procuratorate
Regarding the collaboration between the Procuratorate and the Birdwatching Society, Wang Gengru, Director of the Fifth Procuratorial Department of the Huli Procuratorate, explained, “Our initial intention was to gain support from the Xiamen Birdwatching Society to expand oversight and get more leads for procuratorial public-interest litigation. As our collaboration deepened, we found that the society had numerous enthusiastic members and volunteers. Their professional insights have not only supported procuratorial public-interest litigation but also facilitated mutual progress through campaigns to increase public awareness of ecological laws, themed study sessions, and various other activities. Together, we have made significant contributions to the advancement of ecological protection.”
Thanks to the leads for public-interest litigation cases extensively collected by society and other civil organizations, the “nerve endings” of public-interest litigation have been activated. Moreover, they have led to an expansion of biodiversity protection activities founded on the philosophy of “harmonious coexistence for a shared future”.
“Lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets.” In recent years, China has steadfastly prioritized ecological protection and green development, placing significant emphasis on biodiversity protection. Through contemporary approaches, innovation, and development, it has continually advanced the cause of biodiversity protection and charted a path with Chinese characteristics. The actions carried out by the Huli Procuratorate vividly exemplify this commitment.
In fact, they are just instances of the outstanding efforts by the Huli Procuratorate in contributing to the building of a beautiful China.
For the past few years, the Huli Procuratorate has collaborated with various departments to organize legal education events centered on the theme of “Implementing the Wetlands Conservation Law to Protect Biodiversity”. These endeavors include a range of activities, including lectures on the Wetlands Conservation Law, sessions addressing invasive species, campaigns focused on wetland bird education, initiatives promoting ecological protection, and classes dedicated to blue-tailed bee-eaters. The aim is to integrate the principle of ecological protection into school campuses and the wider society. A systematic approach has also been adopted to govern foreign invasive species, including actions such as “comprehensive census and documentation”, “implementation of special rectification measures”, and “thorough execution of prevention and control strategies”. These collective efforts have yielded significant outcomes, including the elimination of around 213 apple snail egg beds, the cleaning and removal of about 75 kilograms of apple snails, and the application of chemical control measures over about 320 square meters of apple snail-infested areas. Furthermore, proactive measures led to the pruning and control of about 720 square meters of wedelia flowers, the eradication of around 120 square meters of alligator weeds, and the clearance of approximately 290 square meters of floating water lilies and 100 square meters of water algae. This comprehensive approach has effectively contributed to maintaining a balance between “elimination” and “control”.
The Huli Procuratorate is located in the birthplace of the Xiamen Special Economic Zone. Therefore, we wish to take more concrete actions in biodiversity protection,” stated Lyu Pingyun, a First-class Section Member of the Fifth Procuratorial Department, Huli Procuratorate. She emphasized, “Although this starting point may seem small, it provides a fresh perspective. Throughout this endeavor, we have discovered numerous new possibilities. In addition to establishing liaison stations, we have collaborated with other organizations to set up an exhibition hall and a study base.”
Lyu Pingyun, First-class Section Member of the Fifth Procuratorial Department, Huli Procuratorate
The exhibition hall mentioned by Lyu is the Marine Biodiversity and Bird Protection Exhibition Hall, a collaborative effort involving the Huli Procuratorate, Huli Audit Bureau, and Xiamen Birdwatching Society in its establishment. This hall has been recognized as a “Practice Base for Civility in the New Era of Xiamen City”. It combines features such as exhibiting achievements, providing legal education, facilitating research, and fostering learning exchanges. Additionally, it acts as an extension to practice the philosophy of “harmonious coexistence for a shared future”. The hall leverages cutting-edge science and technology of the meta-universe to synchronize its contents with the Meta-universe Hall of the Huli Procuratorate. This innovative approach enables citizens passionate about biodiversity protection to virtually visit the exhibition from the comfort of their homes.
By the two-pronged approach that combines the implementation of biological protection efforts with campaigns to increase legal awareness, the Huli Procuratorate is actively engaging the public in the advancement of the rule of law. In pursuing biodiversity protection, the Procuratorate is making its due contributions to yielding win-win outcomes for all in ecological protection. The experiences of Huli are shared as an example of Xiamen to a wider audience.
“We hope to advance biodiversity protection based on the rule of law in combination with our own work. We aim to establish a collaborative, sustainable, and well-organized model for ecological co-protection,” said Wang Gengru.
Marine Biodiversity and Bird Protection Exhibition Hall
Chinese modernization features the harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. In recent years, China has placed significant emphasis on fostering ecological advancement and biodiversity protection. Procuratorial efforts have played a distinctive and effective role in protecting public interest and advancing the vision of a beautiful China. The continuous exploration by the Huli Procuratorate has facilitated a positive relationship between the rule of law and ecological protection. Through practice and innovation, there have been ongoing procuratorial efforts in the area of ecological protection. This contributes to a modern approach to foster harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature, where the rule of law paints a vivid picture of lucid waters and lush mountains