Text by Wang Xunqian,Wang Tong ＆ Zhao Hui Edited by Bai Ning

Spring in Dajiu Lake (Photo by Pan Jianxiang) 大九湖之春（潘建翔 摄）

Chinese mergansers in the Jingmen Zhanghe National Wetland Park 荆门漳河国家湿地公园里，中华秋沙鸭展翅飞翔

Wetlands,often reputed as the “Earth’s kidneys,” have important ecological functions such as water conservation,water purification,biodiversity preservation,runoff storage,climate regulation,and carbon sequestration.As a precious natural resource,it is one of the three major ecosystems of the earth along with forests and oceans.

Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and dotted with rivers and lakes,Hubei is known as the “Province of a Thousand Lakes.” Numerous rivers and lakes meet here and nurture the region’s multitudinous wetlands covering a total area of approximately 1,450,200 hectares.The province has four wetlands of international importance,eight nationally important wetlands,46 provincially significant wetlands,72 wetland reserves(communities),66 national wetland parks,and 38 provincial wetland parks.

On the 25th “World Wetland Day,” we explored various wetlands along the Yangtze River and admired the achievements made by wetland-protection efforts.

湿地，被誉为“地球之肾”，具有涵养水源、净化水质、维护生物多样性、蓄洪防旱、调节气候和固碳等重要生态功能，与森林、海洋并称为地球三大生态系统，是宝贵的自然资源。

湖北，地处长江中游，境内河流纵横、湖泊密布，素有“千湖之省”美誉，众多江河湖泊孕育了湖北湿地大省地位，湿地总面积达2175.3万亩，全省已建成国际重要湿地4处、国家重要湿地8 处、省级重要湿地46 处，建立湿地保护区（小区）72 个、国家湿地公园66 个、省级湿地公园38 个。

值第25 个“世界湿地日”之际，我们走进长江各处湿地，感受湿地保护所取得的成就。

首先，我们来到海拔近2000 米的神农架大九湖湿地。

湖面上，薄雾如轻纱一般在冬日暖阳中渐渐散去，雄浑的山峦顶着蓝天白云倒映水中……隆冬来到这里，仿佛置身一幅泼墨山水画中，感觉就一个字：美！

然而，这份美来之不易。20 世纪60年代，林木采伐砍光了这里的参天古木，大九湖变成高山牧场。1986年至1992年间，人们又把这里开垦成人工草场，兴建梅花鹿场、细毛羊场。 后来，当地人又围湖造田，引水出山，在大九湖建起万亩高山反季节蔬菜基地。

可是，这些所谓的产业并没有带来很好的收益，而大九湖湿地生态系统遭受破坏，湿地功能退化，生物多样性减少。

幡然醒悟后，政府下决心保护并修复大九湖湿地。省委、省政府现场办公，实施生态移民搬迁，把1400 多名大九湖村民搬到20 公里外的坪阡村。