Behind the breathtaking view of the“Tour of Qinghai Lake” route

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Once again, Qinghai Lake is the backdrop for the 2018 “Tour of Qinghai Lake,” the multistage road race in Asia taking place around in China between July 22 and August 4. Behind its spectacular landscape and great harmony between human and nature, Qinghai Lake tells a real-life story about China’s relentless effort to preserve and improve the ecosystem.

Qinghai Lake, which is located in the northeast of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, is China’s largest inland and saltwater lake and the world’s second largest saltwater lake. It also plays a key role in preserving the local ecosystem and preventing desertification expansion.

Meanwhile, the lake is also a place where many species of waterbirds congregate and breed and it is the only habitat of the nearly extinct Przewalski's gazelle, and therefore is a significant place for the study of bird migration, animal food chain, eco-environment and eco-diversity of the plateau.

To preserve the lake's ecosystem, the local government has taken efforts to reduce the human disturbance in the surrounding area, such as the closure of tourism attractions and the suspension of tourism activities within the Qinghai National Nature Reserve last year.

Located in Qinghai Province on an endorheic basin, Qinghai Lake is the largest lake in China. /VCG Photo

Qinghai Lake is not only a national nature reserve but also a national scenic area. In the past years, Qinghai Lake Scenic Area Preservation and Utilization Administration has invested nearly 400 million yuan in the projects for infrastructure building and wetland restoration, and encouraged general public to participate in the effort of Qinghai Lake ecosystem preservation.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency