The story of 'Uncle Bird' and north China's Xiong'an New Area

In April 2017, China announced a plan to establish Xiong'an New Area, which spans Rongcheng, Anxin and Xiongxian counties and some adjacent areas in north China's Hebei Province.

The new area aims to relieve Beijing of non-essential functions related to its status as the nation's capital while advancing the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Dubbed the "kidney of north China," Baiyangdian Lake is a vital habitat for wild birds and is situated in the Xiong'an New Area in Hebei Province. The water quality of Baiyangdian Lake has improved and is now the best it has been in 10 years as a result of increased efforts to enhance the regional ecological environment.

The local government has also classified nine sections of the marsh as significant habitats to give the birds better protection and a good place to live.

Han Zhanqiao, a math teacher at a primary school in Tongkou village, now frequently visits one.

Han has volunteered to protect birds near his home since he saw a swan five years ago, a bird he hadn't seen since he was a child.

Han was born in a village whose eastern side is surrounded by Baiyangdian. In the autumn of 2017, Han photographed a mute swan in the wetland by chance. He patrolled the swamp frequently to offer assistance in case the bird needed it and treated it.

Since then, visiting the marsh and caring for the birds has become a regular part of his routine. During his rounds, Han saw several hundred ducks of different species, including Chinese spot-billed ducks and mallards.

"I am glad that the natural wetland near my home has become a home for such beautiful birds, and I'm more than willing to do my part to promote harmony between humans and nature."

A monitoring system established in and around Baiyangdian Lake has found that more than 100,000 birds are overwintering there.

After the establishment of Xiong'an New Area, the water quality in Baiyangdian Lake has improved from below Level V, the lowest of China's five-tier water assessment system, to Level III. The water body area of Baiyangdian has been restored from about 170 square kilometers to about 290 square kilometers, and the water level in the lake area has remained stable at about 7.2 meters.