China News Service, Bayannaoer, February 8th: The migration of "Duck Treasure" brings troubles and joys to Shnagan Village in Inner Mongolia
China News Service reporter Zhang Linhu
"During the Chinese New Year, my main task is to take good care of these red shelducks. They are the treasure of our village." When meeting Yang Laiwen, Party branch secretary of Shinagan Village, Dashetai Town, Wulateqian Banner, Bayannur City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, He proudly told reporters about his tasks during the Spring Festival. Yang Laiwen talked endlessly about the story of Shinagan Village and these "duck treasures".
(File photo) The picture shows groups of red shelducks in Ershan Hot Spring. Photo courtesy of Li Yichun
Yang Laiwen told reporters that the seven or eight thousand red shelducks in front of him first came here purely by chance.
"Ershan Hot Spring is a natural hot spring next to the village with a water temperature of 20°C all year round. The hot spring is rich in various elements beneficial to the human body, especially beneficial to skin diseases." Yang Laiwen said that for decades, villagers have regarded this place as a natural hot spring. Bathing pool.
In 2012, in order to protect this natural resource, the Shinagan Village Party Branch renovated the hot springs and expanded the original 4 acres of hot spring storage pool to 18 acres.
In the winter of 2016, the villagers suddenly discovered that hundreds of red and white birds were visiting the spring pond and making it their home. Their arrival added vitality to the quiet countryside. Suddenly there were some beautiful birds by the spring, which everyone found new and interesting. Villagers from several surrounding villages also found it interesting and came to watch.
"In the second winter, the number of birds suddenly increased to thousands. The more and more birds gathered, they became no longer peaceful and began to affect the normal life of the villagers." Yang Laiwen said.
The picture shows the dividend distribution meeting of Shnagan Village Cooperative. Photo courtesy of Li Yichun
It turns out that the main local crop is corn, and birds come in flocks. The corn dried by the villagers becomes free meals for these little guys.
Planting red flags, setting up dummies, playing music... Although the villagers tried every means to drive away these little guys, they had almost no effect. The birds flying up and falling down caused a lot of trouble to the villagers.
What are these birds from? The villagers searched the Internet and consulted experts, and learned that they did have their origins - the red shelduck, a national second-level protected animal.
"Every year, they migrate from distant Siberia to Wuliangsuhai, which is dozens of kilometers away from the village. For some unknown reason, they take a fancy to Ershan Hot Spring and become uninvited guests." Yang Laiwen said, by the third day Last winter, there were about 20,000 red shelducks.
That winter, the attentive Yang Laiwen discovered that the red shelducks were dying due to lack of food.
"After all, it is a nationally protected animal. We cannot let these lovely creatures starve to death." In desperation, Yang Laiwen began to organize party members and villagers to feed the red ducks in large quantities, and sought help from the society in various ways.
The picture shows groups of red shelducks in Ershan Hot Spring. Photo courtesy of Li Yichun
For a time, caring people from all walks of life lent a helping hand and donated a large amount of bird food to help the red shelduck temporarily survive the crisis. But at this time, the local forestry and grassland department approached Yang Laiwen and told him that feeding migratory birds in large quantities was not in line with the laws of ecological balance and would affect the natural growth and reproduction of the red shelducks.
Good intentions lead to no good results, but the red shelducks will come again the next year, and they can’t be beaten, driven away, or raised. What should I do? Yang Laiwen and the villagers were in trouble again.
In order to solve the problems in the village, Yang Laiwen organized a discussion with the village party branch team, party members and village representatives. Finally, everyone came up with a good idea to develop hot spring bird watching tourism.
Just do what you say, and the village designated a 2,000-acre red shelduck reserve. According to the habits of the red shelduck, the village party branch organized party members and villagers to plant more than 20,000 wild jujube trees, elm trees, and pine trees next to the hot springs, giving the red shelduck a more comfortable habitat.
The picture shows the Ershan Hot Spring folk tourism project. Photo courtesy of Li Yichun
At the same time, the village party branch took the lead in organizing more than 50 households and four villager groups, collectively raising more than 900,000 yuan as original shares, and successfully led the establishment of the Buliyan Cooperative, relying on natural hot springs, migratory red shelducks and other resources to create Ershan hot spring tourism It is a one-stop collective economic project with B&B and catering services to promote the development of the rural tourism industry and achieve a "double harvest" of increasing village collective income and making villagers rich.
In 2023, more than 10,000 tourists from all over the country came to Ershan Hot Spring for sightseeing, and batches of "Internet celebrities" came to live broadcast to check in, making the local hot springs, mutton, and red shelduck famous.
"The village collective and villagers have increased their income by more than 100,000 yuan from tourism and catering services alone. The red shelduck is no longer a troublesome duck, but has become a 'duck treasure' for the villagers to make ecological money." Yang Laiwen said.
Today, the villagers and the red shelduck have become good neighbors. During the autumn harvest, villagers intentionally leave some corn kernels in the farmland so that the remaining "duck treasures" can get effective supplies when they can't find food in winter.
"In the new year, the village is preparing to launch another hot spring health care project to attract more tourists to come to Ershan to soak in hot springs, taste mutton, watch birds, and stay overnight. At the same time, we will continue to plant trees and grass to improve the ecology around the hot springs. The environment will attract other types of birds to come as guests." Yang Laiwen was confident when talking about the village's development plan for 2024. (over)