The China State Forest Administration and the WWF, one of the world's largest independent conservation organizations, signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday on Shanhai's Chongming Island, their first MOU to include coastal wetland protection.

China has made efforts to protect wetlands across the country, including restoration and protection projects and promoting awareness, according to the State Forest Administration.

In the past decade, more than 200 billion yuan ($31.4 billion) has been invested in protecting and restoring wetlands across China, according to the administration.

In Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, more than 10 billion yuan has been invested in restoring its Xixi wetland, which now has 345 kinds of plants, 64 kinds of birds and 226 kinds of insects, according to the city's forest administration authorities.

Under the agreement, the WWF will support the administration in research activities with other member countries in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership, a program that aims at protecting migratory water birds and the places they live. WWF will do monitoring and protection work on migratory shorebirds species in China's coastal wetlands, and continue its work on estuary wetlands including Shanghai's Chongming Dongtan Natural Reserve and Fujian's Minjiang.

"China has committed itself to the protection of a crucial part of the coastline," said Wenwei Ren, director of the Yangtze footprint program of WWF China.

Researchers said that new technologies such as remote sensing and monitoring by drones are being used to monitor and protect wetlands, and integrated approaches have been taken to ensure the development and safety of animals, birds and many other species that rely on the safety of wetlands.

According to Ouyang Zhiyun, an environmental researcher with the China Academy of Sciences, protection of wetlands and species will be done in conjunction with urban development, construction plans, tourism and mining activities.

wuyiyao@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 10/29/2015 page3)