Yancheng reserve was established in 1983 and promoted to national nature reserve in 1992.The reserve mainly protects the wild animals represented by the red-crowned cranes and the coastal wetland ecosystem they inhabit, is one of the only two intertidal wetland world natural heritage sites in the world. Meanwhile, the reserve is the largest coastal wetland and maintain the most intact ecosystem on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean and the edge of the Asian continent. It is also an important transit station for migratory waterbirds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. There are 2567 species of animals and plants in the area, including 1855 species of animals and 712 species of plants. Seventeen species are listed on the IUCN Red List.
Good Governance
Jiangsu Yancheng Wetland Rare Birds National Nature Reserve (referred to as the Yancheng Reserve) is divided into core areas, buffer zones, and experimental zones according to ecosystem functions, conservation objectives, and utilization values, implementing holistic protection, zoned management, and differentiated administration.
1. The “Yancheng National Rare Birds Nature Reserve Management Measures” and the “Yancheng City Yellow Sea Wetland Protection Regulations” have been formulated and issued, clarifying the requirements for protection management and providing a solid institutional guarantee for the conservation, management, and construction of the Yancheng Reserve.
2. The local government has established a joint meeting system for the management of the Yancheng Reserve, with the responsible vice mayor as the convener, to coordinate the protection and development of the Yancheng Reserve at a high level.
3. The reserve management office has established a cooperation mechanism for the supervision and management of the ecological environment of nature reserves with local government departments such as the ecological environment and natural resources, increasing law enforcement efforts to effectively curb actions that damage the ecosystem.
Conservation
After years of protection, the ecological environment quality of the Yancheng Nature Reserve has achieved significant results:
1. The coastal wetland ecosystem has been effectively protected, with the main protected species’ populations showing a steady increase. The proportion of natural wetland area and unused sea area within the reserve has grown significantly, with various landscape patches showing a dense pattern and low fragmentation;
2. The population of the flagship species, the red-crowned crane, has increased from 321 to 508 during the wintering period, and the wintering populations of key species such as the white-naped crane and the oriental stork have reached historical highs;
3. Species diversity has increased, with the total number of recorded species in the reserve rising from 2,153 to 2,552, and the number of national key protected wild animals and plants increasing from 124 to 142.
Community benefits
Yancheng Nature Reserve adheres to the concept that green mountains and clear waters are as valuable as mountains of gold and silver, innovates the community co-management mechanism, encourages and supports the surrounding communities to develop green industries, and achieves community co-governance and sharing:
1. Innovate the community co-management mechanism, establish an ecological patrol post system, and absorb 26 community volunteers to participate in the patrol on a regular basis, effectively supplementing the daily patrol forces while increasing the income of residents.
2. Take the lead in initiating and actively promoting the substantial operation of the “Yancheng Yellow Sea Wetland Ecological Agriculture Industry Promotion Association”, create the “Famous Crane” ecological agricultural product regional public brand, and promote a batch of traditional planting and breeding projects to green transformation.
3. The brand effect of the nature reserve drives the development of surrounding communities, and the brand effect of world natural heritage sites, international important wetlands, and other brands continues to expand, attracting local governments to increase investment around the nature reserve. Dongtai Jiaogang World Heritage Town, Huangjian Chinese Red-crowned Crane Town, Xinyanggang Ecological Fishing Port Town, Huangshagang (Special) Fishing Port Town, and Xingnong Village Tidal Flat Art Village have all been established around the nature reserve, significantly improving the quality of life for community residents.
Yancheng reserve was established in 1983 and promoted to national nature reserve in 1992.The reserve mainly protects the wild animals represented by the red-crowned cranes and the coastal wetland ecosystem they inhabit, is one of the only two intertidal wetland world natural heritage sites in the world. Meanwhile, the reserve is the largest coastal wetland and maintain the most intact ecosystem on the west coast of the Pacific Ocean and the edge of the Asian continent. It is also an important transit station for migratory waterbirds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. There are 2567 species of animals and plants in the area, including 1855 species of animals and 712 species of plants. Seventeen species are listed on the IUCN Red List.
80% of the EAGL members approved to recommend the site for inclusion on the IUCN Green List.
