Recently, China's Yellow (Bohai) Sea Migratory Bird Habitats (Phase II) were recently added to the World Heritage List, providing travelers with new globally recognized destinations. What makes these newly designated birdwatching havens so special that they earned unanimous praise from experts worldwide?

Professor Lei Guangchun from Beijing Forestry University, the Director of the East Asia-Australasia Migratory Bird Research Center and lead expert for the World Heritage nomination, appeared on CCTV's youth-focused public lecture program Voice (《开讲啦》). In a captivating conversation with famous host Sa Beining, he shared the journey and untold stories behind the successful inscription of migratory bird habitats as a World Heritage site.

Stories of ecosystem conservation through migratory bird tracking

What birds are considered the "limited edition," where a single sighting feels like hitting the jackpot? Migratory bird habitats like Jiangsu's Yancheng, Shanghai's Chongming, Shandong's Dongying, Hebei's Cangzhou, and Liaoning's Dalian and Dandong Yalu River are home to world-class wetlands and migratory birds worth a once-in-a-lifetime sighting. Take the spoon-billed sandpiper, for example, with its distinctive "spoon-shaped" beak. With only about 500 remaining in the world, even Sa Beining couldn't help but exclaim, "Now that's truly a limited edition—just one sighting is worth it!"

How a single map halted the "Million-Mu Reclamation Project"?

Jiangsu's Yancheng was the sole site included in the first phase of China's Yellow (Bohai) Sea Migratory Bird Habitats series application, earning its place on the World Heritage List on July 5, 2019. The story behind this milestone is one worth telling.

In 2015, at an international conference, a foreign representative posed a pointed question to Lei Guangchun: "We're here for the protection of migratory birds and their habitats, but do you know about China's 'Million-Mu Reclamation Project' in Yancheng?" Caught off guard, Lei admitted, "I don't."

Upon returning to China the next day, he immediately traveled to Yancheng and found that the project, aimed at converting one million mu of mudflats into farmland and industrial zones, was already in motion.

With a map, Lei made his case to the authorities: the area's river estuary, shaped by unique ocean currents and tides, deposits fertile sediment from rivers like the Yangtze and Yellow. This creates a rich wetland ecosystem teeming with fish and shrimp, making it not only a critical habitat for migratory birds but also a prime location for agricultural expansion. "While the reclamation could yield a once-off gain of 200 billion yuan," he argued, "it would squander 'nature's bounty' and lead to staggering costs for environmental restoration."

As a result, the Yancheng government decided to stop the reclamation project and focus on World Heritage status instead, and the success marks a groundbreaking harmony between environmental protection and economic development.

Check this out! A Seasonal Guide to the Best Birdwatching Spots

Lei Guangchun, an ecological expert who spends 300 days a year in nature, shares his exclusive birdwatching tips for each season.

Spring

The Yellow (Bohai) Sea wetlands await. Yancheng and Dandong's elk reserves are havens for migratory birds to breed, rest, and overwinter.

Summer

Let's head to the cool alpine meadows at 3,500 meters under Mount Everest(known as Mount Qomolangma in China and Sagarmatha in Nepal). Watch black-necked cranes roam with their fluffy chicks and bar-headed geese soar gracefully over the water.

Autumn

Zhangye's Black River wetlands in Northwest China are a must-see. This crucial site on the Central Asian Flyway is a breeding ground for the endangered black stork, often called the "panda of birds". Lei Guangchun and his team once counted 514 black storks here in a single survey, a breakthrough for China, providing key data for protecting this rare species.

Winter

Poyang Lake is one of the ultimate winter refuge for migratory birds in the world. Over 90% of the world's Siberian crane population spends the season here, joined by more than 600,000 other birds, creating a spectacular avian winter sanctuary.

'When we venture into nature, we are visitors. We must observe and learn with humility, approach with reverence, while upholding the principles of respecting, adapting to, and protecting nature." Lei reminded us after his sharing.

Translated and edited by Song He
Reviewed by Yu Yangyang