Richer biodiversity

As water quality in Baiyangdian continues to improve, more species have chosen the lake as their habitat.

According to Xiong'an authorities, the lake now has 276 species of wild birds, 70 more than in 2016, and 48 species of wild fish, 21 more than in 2016.

Tian Yongchang, who works at the natural resources bureau of Anxin county, said that nine avian habitats have been designated in the wetland.

A mode of management that incorporates government departments, nongovernmental associations and volunteers has also been adopted to mobilize more people to participate in bird protection, he said.

In 2018, Aythya baeri, or Baer's pochard, which is categorized as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and is under level-one State protection, was spotted in Baiyangdian.

The birds were observed brooding at the lake for the first time in July 2022, meaning Baiyangdian has become a breeding area for the species, which was more commonly known to breed in Russia and Northeast China.

"The birds at Baiyangdian are not only increasing in terms of population but also in terms of species. The appearance of rare birds signifies that the diversity and stability of Baiyangdian's ecosystem have improved significantly," Tian noted.

With a lot of his passengers birders, Feng, the boat captain, is keenly aware of the increasingly greater biodiversity in Baiyangdian.

"Now, it's easy for me to help birders find rare birds under level-one and level-two State protection," he said.

When the temperature gets even warmer, it won't be strange to see flocks of birds so big that they can blot out the sun in Baiyangdian, he continued.

The boatman has seen a boom in business following the environmental improvement.

He now ferries up to 200 tourists a day in the peak tourist season and has seen his income improve.

Moreover, as the water quality gets better, he can enjoy some of his favorite local food from his childhood made from edible aquatic plants.

Because of the heavy pollution, locals didn't collect these plants for a long time, he said.

"The Baiyangdian of my childhood is coming back," he smiled.

Zhang Yu and Xinhua contributed to this story.

houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn