As learned from the Asian Regional Meeting of the UN "Wetland Convention" held in Beijing on May 15, the wetland round Lakes Eling and Zhaling, the nuclear area of the Sanjiangyuan Natureal Reserve has been officially approved by the Secretariat of the UN Wetland Convention as an international wetland of importance. This marks that China's Sanjiangyuan Natural Reserve, of the largest expanse, the highest altitude and also the world highest region with the most diversified living beings has been taken as one of the highland wetlands of the greatest influence in the world.

The Sanjiangyuan Natural Reserve lying in the heartland of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau spreads out in the areas of the water-sources of the Yangtze River, the Yellow River and the Lancang River covering an area of 363,000 square kilometers with an average height of 4,000 meters above sea level, hence known as the "Water Tower of China". According to a rough calculation of scientists, a respective 25. 49 and 15 percent of the water-volume for the Yangtze River, the Yellow River and Lancang River comes from the very region. The Eling and Zhaling lakes listed as the international wetland of importance this time are all within the nuclear area of the Sanjiangyuan Natural Reserve, No.1 and No.2 freshwater lakes in the water-head area of the Yellow River, covering a respective area of 65,907 and 64,920 hectares. The two pieces of wetland are the ideal habitat for diversified rare fish and water-birds on the highland. The marshlands and promontories around the lakes and water-surface are also the important habitat for egrets, geese and ducks as well as black-neck storks and they are of great importance for the diversification of living beings in the high altitude area and for maintaining the wetland ecological system on the plateau.

A great affirmation has been given by Dr. Peter Bridgewater, Secretary General of the Convention, to the achievement obtained by the Chinese government in the protection of the wetland. He said, in many aspects of work for wetland preservation the Chinese government has already gone ahead to the forefront of the world Especially, an investment of RMB 7,500 million yuan has been put in for the preservation of the highland wetland with the construction of the Sanjiangyuan Natural Reserve as its main content, for this will exert a great influence on the ecological preservation along the Mekong River reaches and the whole Asia as well. This is not only a big glory for China but also for Asia and the world.

By People's Daily Online