Sanjiangyuan: 20 years of hard work to protect and build the "Chinese Water Tower"

　　Xinhua News Agency, Xining, February 8

　　Xinhua News Agency reporters Lu Xueli and Liu Zexing

　　The third pole of the earth, the hinterland of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, southwest of Qinghai Province.

　　The Yangtze River, the Yellow River, and the Lancang River, the three major rivers originate from here and run all the way to the distance.

This geographical highland is the source of the three rivers known as the "China Water Tower".

　　During his inspection tour in Qinghai in June 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that protecting Qinghai's ecological environment is "the greatest country."

　　This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve.

From the establishment of a nature reserve, to the establishment of a national comprehensive experimental area for ecological protection, and then to the pilot project of my country's first national park system, Sanjiangyuan has gone through 20 years of arduous exploration and practice in protection and construction, which embodies the historical transformation of my country's ecological civilization construction. Make historic achievements.

20 years of hard work to protect the source of life

　　Yueguzonglie Basin, the source of the mother river Yellow River.

The beginning of spring has passed, and the water is still dripping into ice.

Braving the wind, snow and severe cold, a group of seven Tibetan herdsmen, Nige, started a day of inspection and monitoring on a motorcycle to protect the ecology of the source.

　　"Although the weather is cold, it is a good time to patrol the wetlands and grasslands that cannot be accessed in summer and autumn." Growing up at the source of the Yellow River, Nige has a deep understanding of ecology.

"When I was young, the ecological environment at the source of the Yellow River deteriorated and the grasslands degraded. Our family had to go to the river 2 kilometers away to find water."

　　Sanjiangyuan is an important supply area for freshwater resources in my country, an area with the highest concentration of plateau biodiversity, a sensitive area and an important start-up area for global climate change, and an important national ecological security barrier for my country.

　　However, with the impact of global climate warming and human activities, the ecology of the Sanjiangyuan was degraded and deteriorated. The rivers stopped flowing frequently, a large number of lakes disappeared, wild animals decreased sharply, and water conservation capacity declined, which led to drought and flood disasters in the middle and lower reaches of the Sanjiang River, threatening the middle and lower reaches. Ecological security.

　　The Party Central Committee and the State Council attach great importance to the ecological protection of Sanjiangyuan.

On August 19, 2000, Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve was formally established.

On January 24, 2003, the State Council officially approved it as a national nature reserve.

　　In October 2021, my country officially established the first batch of national parks such as Sanjiangyuan, Giant Panda, Siberian Tiger and Leopard, Hainan Tropical Rainforest, and Wuyi Mountain.

In the past, the source areas of the three major rivers that belonged to the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve and the Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve were integrated into the Sanjiangyuan National Park for complete protection.

　　From the establishment of a provincial-level nature reserve to the establishment of a national-level nature reserve; from the official launch of the Sanjiangyuan ecological protection and construction project to the establishment of the Sanjiangyuan National Ecological Protection Comprehensive Experimental Area; from the first national park system pilot to becoming a The first of the first five national parks officially established...

　　In the past 20 years, the construction of Sanjiangyuan ecological protection has achieved three leaps and stepped up to three steps.

The scope is continuously optimized, the measures are continuously improved, and the intensity is continuously increased, realizing the transformation from purely protecting the ecology to comprehensively coordinating ecological protection and economic and social development, and moving towards the harmonious coexistence of man and nature.

　　Hoh Xil, at an altitude of 4,600 meters, is covered with ice and snow, and the wind is bitter.

At the Sonam Dajie Protection Station, staff member Deng Haiping squatted in the cold wind, holding a warmed baby bottle in both hands, feeding a group of small Tibetan antelopes. This is the most tender scene in Hoh Xil in the severe cold.

　　In the 1980s and 1990s, due to rampant poaching, the number of Tibetan antelopes in the Hoh Xil region dropped sharply to less than 20,000.

For decades, special mountain patrols, continuous anti-poaching, and wild animal rescue have been carried out continuously.

　　Today, the number of Tibetan antelopes has recovered to more than 70,000, and the "beautiful girl" Hoh Xil has restored her ancient tranquility.

Wild animals such as Tibetan antelopes and wild yaks inhabit and live peacefully and leisurely, becoming a beautiful scenery on the Qinghai-Tibet Line. Sanjiangyuan has truly become a paradise for wild animals.

Ecology, production and life win-win road

　　The establishment of a national park means the most stringent protection of the ecology of the source of the three rivers, ensuring that the clean water of the river flows eastward.

　　In accordance with the principle of integrated management and protection of mountains, rivers, forests, farmland, lakes, grass, sand and ice, Qinghai Province has carried out functional reorganization and optimized combination of 15 protected areas in 6 categories within the pilot system.

At the same time, efforts were made to crack down on "Jiulong Water Control", and the ecological protection management responsibilities scattered in forestry, land, environmental protection, housing construction, water conservancy, agriculture and animal husbandry and other departments were assigned to the Sanjiangyuan National Park Administration, so as to realize "one thing is managed by one department". "The goal.

　　After more than five years of pilot exploration and more than a year of construction practice, Sanjiangyuan National Park has realized the organic unity of ecological protection, green development and improvement of people's livelihood under the premise of adhering to the ecological protection first, and has developed a Chinese characteristic. The road to the construction and management of national parks.

　　According to Wang Xiangguo, director of the Sanjiangyuan National Park Administration, a total of 6.7 billion yuan has been invested since the system was piloted, and a series of park infrastructure construction projects and ecological protection and restoration projects have been implemented successively.

In 2022, nearly 320 million yuan will be invested to implement a series of ecological protection and restoration projects.

　　Implement ecological management projects such as black soil beach management, reseeding of degraded grasslands, sealing sand to cultivate grass, and wetland protection, so as to increase grass, green and water;

　　All 48 mining rights in the park have been withdrawn, ecological restoration projects have been implemented, ecological scars have been healed, and the historical debts of the ecological environment have been completely resolved...

　　The National Development and Reform Commission's phased comprehensive assessment report on ecological effectiveness shows that the main protected objects in the Sanjiangyuan area have been better protected and restored, the quality of the ecological environment has been improved, and the ecological security barrier has been further strengthened.

　　Nima Tashi is a herdsman in Zhuorang Village, Zhaling Lake Township, Maduo County, Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province. He lives on the north bank of Zhaling Lake, the "sister lake at the source of the Yellow River".

It is located in the core area of ​​the Yellow River Source Park in Sanjiangyuan National Park.

　　As an ecological administrator of Sanjiangyuan National Park, Nima Tashi is also responsible for picking up garbage, patrolling lakes and pastures, inspecting and protecting wild animals while grazing his own cattle and sheep every day.

　　"In recent years, the water in Zaling Lake has become bigger and bigger. You can see the lake from sitting at home. There are more and more wild animals such as Tibetan wild donkeys and Tibetan foxes. The scenery in your hometown is getting more and more beautiful." Nima Tashi explain.

　　The pilot project of the Sanjiangyuan National Park system involves 17,211 herdsmen households in 4 counties.

The four counties used to be deeply impoverished areas.

Since 2018, the Qinghai provincial government has spent 370 million yuan per year to place an ecological management worker in each household, with a monthly income of 1,800 yuan. This alone increases the average household income of Sanjiangyuan residents by 21,600 yuan a year.

　　Like Nima Zhaxi, tens of thousands of ecological administrators in Sanjiangyuan National Park, as long-standing residents of Sanjiangyuan, have become "park residents" of the national park.

While protecting their homes, they also protected the natural ecology of Sanjiangyuan, achieving a win-win situation in ecology, production, and life.

　　Li Xiaonan, vice chairman of the Qinghai Provincial CPPCC and director of the Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau, said that as the first national park system pilot, Sanjiangyuan National Park has effectively protected the "Chinese Water Tower" and contributed to the construction of national parks in my country. The "Qinghai Plan" and "Three Rivers Source Model" ", allowing herdsmen who have lived by water and grass for thousands of years to eat ecological food, and truly practiced the concept of "green water and green mountains are golden mountains and silver mountains".

A green home of "harmonious coexistence between man and nature"

　　Asong is a herdsman in Angsai Township, Zaduo County, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. He often wears a T-shirt with a snow leopard pattern on it to show his love for the mysterious "big cat".

　　On the rolling hills deep in the canyon, the infrared camera deployed by Asong once took images of two "big cats" - snow leopard and golden leopard - at the same point, which made him proud.

　　"Our life will be better if the ecology is better." This is the deepest feeling of fellow herdsman Sang Zhou who has been engaged in nature experience for more than three years.

　　In 2019, Angsai Township was authorized by the Sanjiangyuan National Park to start a pilot project of franchising natural experience. This is the first franchising pilot project carried out in a national park in my country. The Sang Zhou family, who has lived on herding for generations, successfully applied to be the host family .

He served as a local guide, leading visitors to appreciate the natural landscape, watch wild animals, and experience life in pastoral areas... Herdsmen turned into tour guides, and life has undergone earth-shaking changes.

　　One of the main tasks of receiving nature experiencers is to photograph various wild animals.

"Rare animals were rare in the past, but now the ecology is better. Wild animals such as snow leopards and white-lipped deer have become frequent visitors in everyone's shots." In 2022, Sang Zhou's family received 3 batches of nature experiencers, and their income increased by more than 10,000 yuan.

　　Ma Hongbo, a professor at the Party School of the Qinghai Provincial Party Committee, said that the concept of "national park" is organically combined with China's national conditions, and it is full of vitality.

The general public has a sense of gain and happiness in ecological protection, and lives a better life in ecological protection.

　　The vast snowy area, winding mountains, eagles strike the sky, rivers and lakes...

　　Monitoring shows that in recent years, the amount of water transported downstream from Qinghai has shown an increasing trend, and the quantity is sufficient and of high quality.

　　According to the Qinghai Provincial Government Work Report in 2023, Qinghai has become the only province in the country where the proportion of good water quality in river cross sections reached 100%, the proportion of days with good air quality reached more than 96%, the forest coverage rate reached 7.5%, and the grassland comprehensive vegetation coverage reached 100%. 57.9%.

　　Snow leopards, leopards, and Eurasian otters, which were rarely seen in the past, made frequent appearances. White-lipped deer, wild yaks, and Tibetan wild donkeys had fun at the source of the rivers, and hunting falcons, black-necked cranes, bar-headed geese, rabbit cats, and Tibetan foxes competed in the grasslands. ...

　　In today's Sanjiangyuan, man and nature coexist harmoniously, and the "Chinese Water Tower" is solid and abundant, presenting a magnificent picture of beautiful mountains and clear waters and all things striving for prosperity.

　　Poster Design: Pan Hongyu