The Legal Working Committee of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (hereinafter referred to as the "Green Committee Legislative Affairs Committee") has recently received feedback from volunteers that the Hummingbird Wetland Reserve in Jinsha bay on the west coast of Haikou City is being damaged. The lake has been drained, geological exploration is currently underway, and in some places the surface has been filled in.
The Legislative Affairs Commission of the Green Society is highly concerned about this, because the Hummingbird Wetland in Jinsha Bay belongs to the Haikou Wetland Reserve and is the habitat of wild birds under national key protection, the wetland environment such as ponds and swamps around Jinsha Bay is very suitable for the breeding of bee tigers, the soft sand soil is suitable for bee tigers to dig holes and build nests, and the dragonflies and insects flying on the pond provide sufficient food for the hummingbirds. Hummingbirds began to appear in the Jinshawan Wetland Area as early as 2010 and increased year by year, forming a population size of more than 200 so far. Known as the "most beautiful bird in China", the blue-throated hummingbird and the chestnut-throated hummingbird are summer migratory birds in other regions, while in Jinsha Bay they are resident birds. Therefore, the species of birds have important scientific research, economic and ornamental value, on February 1, 2021, the State Forestry and Grassland Administration and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs announced the adjusted "List of Wild Animals under National Key Protection", the blue-throated hummingbird and the chestnut-throated hummingbird were listed as national second-level key protected animals.
However, after many communications with volunteers, it was learned that this important wetland area is currently facing an existential crisis. In the "Detailed Control Plan for the Port Area of Haikou New Seaport" published by the Haikou Municipal Bureau of Natural Resources and Planning on February 8, 2022, the site selection of supporting engineering facilities in the new seaport such as the outlying island truck inspection area and the Second Shugang Avenue clearly occupied the Hummingbird Wetland Reserve in Jinsha Bay. Because the location of the outlying island truck inspection area is in the Jinsha Bay Hummingbird Wetland Reserve, and completely covers the Jinsha Bay Hummingbird Wetland Reserve, the wetland protection area and the hummingbird home are about to be filled in and disappear.
In the Regulations on the Protection of Wetlands in Hainan Province promulgated by Hainan Province, it is clearly required that the development that needs to be carried out must be discussed on a case-by-case basis, but no supporting documents have been seen so far, and no reports on the ecological assessment of wetlands have been made. At present, before the hearing was held and the Haikou Municipal Natural Resources and Planning Bureau's "Detailed Control Plan for the Lingang Area of the New Seaport of Haikou City" was officially announced, the owner unit of the project, the Management Committee of the Haikou Comprehensive Free Trade Zone, had already drained some wetlands in violation of the law and began to do geological surveys.
The lake has been drained for geological exploration (volunteers)
The lake has been drained for geological exploration (volunteers)
The lake behind the protection plate of the Agriculture and Forestry Bureau of Xiuying District, Haikou City has been filled in (provided by volunteers)
The red zone is currently under construction (provided by volunteers)
At present, the construction behavior of relevant departments has aroused the strong concern of the majority of environmental protection volunteers, wetland protectors, and bird lovers, and the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Green Society hereby appeals to stop the construction behavior immediately and leave a home for the "most beautiful birds in China" and "wetland spirits".
Text/Yang review/Sophia