Zhang Mingxiang, Beijing Forestry University: Wetlands are also a "soil" for cultivating ecological culture

"Wetland protection has prospered ecological culture, and wetlands are important carriers of many ecosystems, and on this basis, wetlands feed back ecological culture." Zhang Mingxiang, a professor at the School of Ecology and Nature Conservation of Beijing Forestry University and secretary-general of the Nature Reserve Research Center of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, said at the 2024 annual meeting of the Beautiful China 100 Forum.

The "Opinions on Comprehensively Promoting the Construction of a Beautiful China" issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council mentioned that it is necessary to cultivate and promote ecological culture, improve the ecological cultural system based on ecological values, cultivate the mainstream values of ecological civilization, and accelerate the formation of national ecological consciousness. In Zhang Mingxiang's view, wetlands are also a "soil" for cultivating ecological culture.

Wetlands are abundant treasures. "Wetlands are reservoirs, species gene banks, and carbon pools, and they have an important position in the ecosystem." Zhang Mingxiang said. 96% of China's freshwater resources are stored in wetlands, 40% of the world's known species are distributed in wetlands, and marshes account for 3% of the world's total, and their annual carbon storage of 1 hectare is equivalent to the annual carbon emissions of 8,800 cars. Wetlands have so many functions and ecological values, and they play a significant role in regulating the global environment, which in turn affects the human beings living in the natural environment, and bursts out a steady stream of ecological and cultural inspiration.

Zhang Mingxiang believes that wetland protection is an important part of the construction of a beautiful China. From the perspective of overall planning, China attaches great importance to wetland protection. The promulgation of the Wetland Conservation Law of the People's Republic of China has led the international trend of wetland conservation, making wetland conservation a key measure for the construction of a beautiful China and ecological civilization. From the perspective of specific practice, there are currently 903 national wetland parks and 13 national wetland cities in China, ranking first in the world. The construction of a beautiful China requires the cultivation of ecological culture, and wetland protection plays an important role in the construction of a beautiful China, which further shows that wetland protection can contribute to the prosperity of ecological culture.

Zhang Mingxiang emphasized: "The independence, importance and integrity of wetlands reflect their carrier role in the construction of a beautiful China, and only by strengthening the protection of wetlands can we better build a beautiful China." ”