HAIKOU /China/, January 21. /TASS/. The city of Haikou, which is the administrative center of South China's Hainan Province, has made notable progress in recent years in improving the ecology of coastal wetlands, the Haikou Daily newspaper reported.
The city's coastal area has "acquired a beautiful form of harmonious coexistence between man and nature" thanks to the efforts of local authorities and the public, the paper wrote. By regularly cleaning up garbage and debris brought by the waves, the coastal strip has become absolutely clean. In 2022 and 2023, the seawater quality recorded by environmentalists in Haikou Marine Bay was among the highest in China. It made the list of the country's best water areas.
According to Lu Gang, director of the Haikou Wetland Research Institute, the coastal zone is home to a richly diverse ecosystem. He specified that the city is on the path of flocks of migratory birds that travel to Hainan every year to spend their winters there.
White herons, which predominantly live in Dongzhaigang National Nature Reserve (eastern Haikou), can be seen in the bay area. Since the environment has significantly improved, there are more fish and shrimps in the shallow waters for the birds to feed on. As a result, these areas have become ideal breeding grounds for the birds.
As commented by Haikou Environmental Protection Bureau, the authorities will continue to improve the ecology of the city's coastal area, to promote the city's ideal appearance.
Haikou Bay is considered the city's trademark location, symbolizing its successful ecological development. In recent years, the administrative center of Hainan has made great efforts to protect the environment and restore a protective green belt along the coastline. Wetlands are important in maintaining the natural balance and cleanliness of the surrounding sea area.