STORY: Chinese ecological wisdom shines in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau national park
DATELINE: Sept. 4, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:53
LOCATION: XINING, China
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Sanjiangyuan area
2. various of wild animals 
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): SUN LIJUN, Deputy director of the Sanjiangyuan National Park management bureau
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): SUN LIJUN, Deputy director of the Sanjiangyuan National Park management bureau
5. various of rangers
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): YESHE, Local herder

STORYLINE:

Located at an average altitude of more than 4,700 meters, the Sanjiangyuan National Park is the world's highest national park.

The Sanjiangyuan area is known as China's "water tower" as it contains the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers.

It is also home to nearly 70 wildlife species under state protection.

Previously, the Sanjiangyuan region experienced significant ecological degradation due to climate change and various human activities, resulting in the vanishing of numerous lakes and a steep decline in wildlife.

In recent years, however, the situation has been largely improved, thanks to concerted and unremitting efforts by governments at various levels, institutes and grassroots workers.

In 2016, China established the Sanjiangyuan National Park as a pilot project.

Five years later, the park attained its official designation.
   
On Sept. 1, a landmark law for the protection of the fragile ecosystem of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau took effect, which is expected to help strengthen the top-level design of the ecological protection system for "the roof of the world."

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): SUN LIJUN, Deputy director of the Sanjiangyuan National Park management bureau
"Since June 7, 2016, when the pilot project to establish the Sanjiangyuan National Park was kicked off, we have invested a total of 6.7 billion yuan (about 923 million U.S. dollars) in ecological protection and restoration projects. The ecological environment has been significantly improved. Noticeably, the grassland coverage rate has increased by 4.5 percentage points compared with five years ago. The wetland coverage rate has remained stable at around 66 percent. And the biodiversity has been greatly improved."

In Sanjiangyuan, there are more than 17,000 rangers and their duties entail grassland management, ecological observation, and climate monitoring.

Guarding their beautiful homeland, the rangers have become an important force in biodiversity conservation.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): SUN LIJUN, Deputy director of the Sanjiangyuan National Park management bureau
"After the Sanjiangyuan National Park was established, each herder household living inside the park was offered a job opportunity as a ranger with an annual income of over 21,000 yuan (about 2,890 dollars). We also develop eco-tourism inside the park. Herders can provide accommodation for tourists, or work as a guide, which also brings income for them."

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): YESHE, Local herder
"This is a special place with diverse wildlife and abundant resources. Lucid waters and lush mountains enrich our lives and bring income for local herders. In the past, what we did was just to make a living, now it is for the happiness of future generations. That is, to protect the ecological environment."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Xining, China.
(XHTV)