Zhangjiagang, a county-level city of Suzhou, is spearheading the protection of the Yangtze River's ecological environment, striving to achieve harmonious coexistence between people and nature.
The city has introduced three key initiatives: enhancing embankment greenery, reclaiming tidal flats for the river, and increasing forested areas. These efforts have transformed 12 kilometers of Yangtze River shoreline into a picturesque waterfront with 600 mu (40 hectares) of new forests.
The Yangtze River shoreline in Zhangjiagang. [Photo/WeChat account: zhangjiagangfabu365]
Since 2012, Tongzhousha Island, located in the Yangtze River and consisting of four sandy islands covering about 15,000 mu, has undergone ecological restoration and protection. Today, it boasts a vibrant ecosystem with diverse fish and bird species. The island and its surrounding waters are frequently visited by the Yangtze finless porpoise and rare birds, with species like the spoon-billed sandpiper, white-tailed sea eagle, aleutian tern, and bridled tern observed in Suzhou for the first time.
Another shining example is the Lanmensha area, which once had 1.53 kilometers of its shoreline cluttered with eight building material docks and a vast storage yard. In 2019, Zhangjiagang reclassified 9 kilometers of industrial shoreline into ecological zones, including this area. The initiative removed over 20 low-efficiency dock enterprises and 100,000 square meters of illegal structures in the area, restoring 30 hectares of reed wetlands.