Wetlands in Jilin provide places for birds to nest and rest. [Photo provided to CHINADAILY]

Better water protection

The western part of Jilin province is an area with one of the highest densities of lakes in China. Rivers and lakes form foundation for all creatures in Jilin, according to officials.

Jilin has been carrying out a project to connect lakes and rivers in the region since 2013 to better protect its water resources. An ecological environment of 3,500 sq km of lakes, rivers and wetlands has been restored and improved, which now provides ideal places for migratory birds to rest during their annual migration.

Four ecological clusters in the western part of Jilin, consisting of Momoge National Nature Reserve, Chagan Lake, Boluo Lake and Xianghai National Nature Reserve, have been established.

Official statistics show there are 196 species of plants and 198 species of wild animals in Boluo Lake Reserve Area, among which four are under the first-class State protection.

After years of expansion, Chagan Lake, known for its traditional winter fishing, has grown into one of the top 10 largest freshwater lakes in China with a more than 500-sqkm water area.

The lake is a paradise each summer for birds such as red-crowned cranes and terns. In autumn, more than 200 species of migratory birds flock to the lake to rest before their next long journey.

In 2018, the 17th Chagan Lake Winter Fishing Festival attracted 130,000 tourists to its opening ceremony on Dec 28. More than 1.7 million tourists attended the festival last year, bringing in tourism revenue of 1.5 billion yuan.

To control environmental damage to Chagan Lake, Jilin banned all new shopping, dining, accommodation, entertainment and transport construction projects within an 8-to-10-kilometer radius. The province is also taking measures to regularly remove garbage from the lake.

Looking ahead, Jilin will continue to promote and pioneer environmental protection as instructed by State leaders. It will carry out 14 ecological restoration and treatment projects involving 8.32 billion yuan in investment this year.