HAIKOU, June 28./TASS/. Since ancient times, Haikou has been known as the "city on the water." The city’s history is more than 900 years old, and its modern name was first mentioned during the Song Dynasty, when the Haikoupu settlement was founded on the site of the modern administrative center of the Hainan Province, where the hieroglyph “pu” can be translated as “coast” or “creek”. 

Why is Haikou known as "the city on water"? The answer to that question literally lies beneath its dwellers' feet. The total wetlands area in Haikou and its boroughs reaches about 29,100 hectares which accounts for 12,7% of its square. 

The city has many types of wetlands, experts classify them by the nature of their location and food, thus, there are swamps near rivers, lakes, seashore and man-made swamps. They can be located in one basin (the Nandu River), encircle a specific area (coast and coastal waters), or feed on two (a mangrove forest and Yangshan region) and more sources (Fengntang and Telu reservoirs). The total area of ​​wetlands near Haikou reaches about 29,1 thousand hectares. 

Moors near Haikou are characterised by the formation of classic ecosystems of marine islands, as well as by volcanic soil. Another distinctive feature are the mangrove forests. Dongzhaigan Nature Reserve, which has been assigned national status, is located near Haikou as well. It is the largest nature reserve in the Chinese wetlands: one can find 36 species of mangrove trees there, which is the highest indicator in the country. That is why it is often called the “genetic pool of China’s mangroves”.

The harmony of water and fire 

Another feature of the Haikou swamps, as the residents put it, lies in "the harmony of the water and fire elements." About 33,000 years ago, the last volcano eruption occured here, which resulted in the formation of the only territory in modern China with a volcanic relief in the tropics — the Yangshan bogs were formed in this place. There are many rivers, lakes and ponds in the area, as well as reservoirs, that is why Yanshan has been called the "museum of swamps". 

The city is also known for the diversity of its flora and fauna. At least 514 species of vertebrates inhabit the Haikou swamps, which stands for 22.23% of the total number of such species found across China. Six of those are enlisted in China's Red Book. 

One can also find 439 types of vascular plants there (20,31% of the national indicators), some of which are under protection: for instance, сeratopteris thalictroides (water cabbage) and wild rice. Some of those kinds of flora cannot be found anywhere else in China. 

The Chinese authorities in ancient times took mangrove forests under protection, as well as their flora and fauna. Chinese historians have discovered many official documents urging the locals not to cause damage to the plants and animals living there, so the protection of wetlands and their preservation in their original, natural form has become a tradition for local residents over the centuries.

Due to the volcanic soil and unique conditions, Yangshan is often compared to the ancient Dujiangyan irrigation system in the Sichuan province, which has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Residents of Hainan discovered long ago the water that has passed through the volcanic rock is being cleansed, and have been using this irrigation system for 1200 years now. For example, in some villages, one can find wells that are 400 years old. 

The city of bogs 

Taking into consideration all those facts, the Hainan authorities in July 2017 decided to nominate Haikou for the title "City of Wetlands", and in September 2018 Haikou was included in the international rating of such cities. 

On October 25, 2018, at the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, the city of Haikou gained international recognition, becoming one of the 18 cities protected by the Convention.

The Haikou Party Committee and local authorities pay great attention to the preservation of the unique flora and fauna amid the city's development. The government set up several working groups where specialists are studying the best practices of urban planning in Singapore, Dubai and other regions of the world. This enables not only to protect the unique natural heritage, but also to solve the environmental problems inherited from the past generations.

The authorities intend to hold conferences and other events on World Wetlands Day (February, 2) and World Ocean Day (June, 8) to increase awareness among the population to ensure environmental protection. Dozens of public organizations with more than 9,000 volunteers who are engaged in environmental protection projects and promote the concept of creating an ecological civilization have been establshed in Haikou.

The ecosystems of rivers flowing through Haikou were restored, thus making it possible to significantly improve the quality of water in them, as well as the coastline. The city dwellers are also showing interest in the rivers: The Meishe River National Wetlands Park is visited daily by 400-600 people and during weekends the numbers reach 4,000. 

The locals can find performances, sports activities, contests, photo exhibitions in the parks. Moreover, real estate enjoys a significant surge as well amid the project on bettering the wetlands: the apartment prices near parks grow threefold on initial stages of construction. 

The mangrove forrests — Haikou's natural landmark 

The City of Haikou has focused on creating long-term mechanisms of protecting the wetlands: the authorities adopted a set of measures, including legislative protection of the area and a system the wetlands management.

Haikou getting a status of the Wetlands City protected by the Ramsar Convention, is aimed at increasing the efficiency of its protection and usage, as well as implementing the wetlands' economic, social and ecological potential. 

Haikou intends to put the resources of wetlands to a good use and develop ecological tourism and healthcare.

In 2018, 93 new enterprises with foreign capital appeared in Haikou, twice as high as in 2017. The volume of used foreign investment amounted to $ 250 million. The economic growth of the city is also boosted by the development of tourism, sea cruises and the introduction of a visa-free travel for visitors of 59 countries. In addition, in recent years, 15 new flights have been launched, including to Moscow and Sydney. Passenger traffic at Meilan International Airport grew by 29% last year, amounting to 1 130 000 passengers. The authorities are trying not to forget about environmental protection amid economic growth and the city's development. 

The city is known among foreign and Chinese tourists primarily as a resort, but the local authorities consider the transformation of its wetlands and mangroves into Haikou’s landmark as the next step.