city built on water: hangzhou's wetland legacy goes global-体育网

a glorious bird's-eye view of the yangbei lake wetland in fuyang district. [photo/wechat account: gh_2b743761eac1]

hangzhou was recognized as an international wetland city at the 15th meeting of the conference of the contracting parties to the ramsar convention on wetlands in zimbabwe on july 24 — making hangzhou and wenzhou the first cities in zhejiang province to receive this global honor.

the recognition follows a five-year journey that reflects hangzhou's commitment to wetland protection and its evolution into a model for balancing ecological conservation with urban development.

legacy of water, culture

hangzhou's relationship with wetlands traces back over 5,000 years to the liangzhu civilization, one of the earliest rice-growing societies in the world. the city's rich history — from venetian explorer marco polo's praises of its water-linked beauty to classical poetry — reflects a deep bond between wetlands and urban life.

today, wetlands cover 134,300 hectares, representing 8 percent of hangzhou's land area and making it one of china's most water-abundant cities. it's also home to china's only national-level wetland museum.

sika deer wade through water at the qingshan lake wetland in lin'an district. [photo/wechat account: linanfabu]

smart, science-based conservation

faced with shrinking wetlands due to urbanization, hangzhou has launched innovative protection programs.

at xixi wetland, digital twin and iot technologies enable real-time ecological monitoring — making hangzhou a national pilot for digital wetland governance. in fuyang district's yangbei lake, sponge-city techniques restored 30 hectares of wetland. in xiaoshan district's xianghu lake, submerged vegetation has improved water clarity from 0.5 meters to over 1.2 meters.

legally, hangzhou enacted a wetland protection ordinance and launched zhejiang's first municipal wetland association in 2024, granting ecological compensation annually for protected wetlands.

ecology driving the economy

wetlands preservation there has also become a green growth engine.

xixi wetland pioneered a park-oriented development model — blending eco-tourism, research, living and entrepreneurship. eco-tourism in qingshan lake wetland now attracts over 200,000 visitors yearly, boosting local incomes by over 10,000 yuan ($1,395) per resident. "wetland " initiatives — such as eco-agriculture, rural b&bs and e-commerce — are thriving in the surrounding areas.

global recognition, local commitment

its new title aligns with hangzhou's hosting of the 5th world biosphere reserve conference in september. as a biodiversity hub, wetlands are vital to species protection and climate resilience. hangzhou's leadership is said to provide a chinese solution to global ecological challenges.

with its wetlands now internationally acclaimed, hangzhou continues to write a modern ecological success story — where nature and city flourish side by side.