Changshang Lake boasts beautiful scenery. [Photo provided to gofujian.com]

China's "Shan-Shui Initiative" is recognized as one of the World Restoration Flagships by the United Nations. In 2023, the ministries of finance, natural resources, and ecology and environment revealed 15 exceptional examples of the initiative in action.

Two projects from Fujian province made the cut: the Minjiang River Estuary Wetland ecological protection and invasive species management in Fuzhou and the Changshang Lake ecological protection and restoration demonstration in Jiangle county, Sanming.

The Minjiang River Estuary Wetland project targets severely affected areas, tackling challenges like Spartina alterniflora invasion and declining waterfowl habitats with precision. Through actions such as coordinated watershed protection, a comprehensive management system has been established. Five indicators now meet global standards, leading to its 2023 listing in the List of Wetlands of International Importance in 2023.

Jiangle county's Changshang Lake project adheres to the principles of priority protection, natural restoration, and engineering support. It has worked to restore biodiversity, creating a complex of mountains, waters, forests, fields, lakes, and grasslands.

These two Fujian initiatives not only embody the ethos that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets" but also serve as replicable models for global environmental protection and restoration.