Home> Latest

Hangzhou's wetland biodiversity, beauty bring expats together

chinadaily.com.cn| Updated: October 22, 2021 L M S

11_副本.jpg

Expats pose for a group photo at the Broken Bridge during their trip to West Lake in Hangzhou on Oct 20. [Photo by Tan Hung Heng/provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A group of expats from eight foreign countries joined in a joyful trip to Hangzhou on Oct 20 to learn more about the wetland biodiversity and ecological beauty of Zhejiang.    

The eight foreigners, hailing from Australia, Mexico, Bolivia, Japan, Georgia, Zimbabwe, Sudan, and Kenya, mostly have been long-time residents in China, but they still claimed to have been treated with "visual feasts" during their visit despite drizzling rain.

Their itinerary included two main wetland parks in Hangzhou –West Lake, which is well-known for its picturesque landscapes and cultural heritage and Xixi National Wetland Park, China's first and only national wetland park to combine urban life, farming, and wetlands.

During their three-hour exploration at West Lake, the expats toured the site of Ancient Qiantang Gate, the Marco Polo Statue, the Su Causeway and the Broken Bridge, and were introduced to various efforts taken by Hangzhou over the years to achieve an upgraded environment.

Jin Jiaying, the guide for the West Lake tour, said that the measures include clearing silt, circulating water to improve the West Lake and promoting public awareness of environmental protection.

More aquatic birds have made a comeback to West Lake over the years and the mandarin ducks populate the area. Jin also said that the lake's fish and algae have become more abundant, which in turn enriches West Lake's ecological diversity.

Jin also warned the group of expats not to feed the wild birds at the lake in order to protect them from being overfed.

"I have seen a lot of lakes in China before, but West Lake is unique for its location, background, and water. Although it's rainy today, it doesn't bother me too much. There are so many good things about this place for me to know and learn about," said Brian Ayugi, a postdoctoral researcher at Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology.

1 2 3 4 >