World Wetlands Map
		Introduction Press Release Features World Wetlands Map Photo Gallery

Security is another benefit, as flood retention capacities have been built and a larger area of wetland is destined to absorb more floodwaters than in the last 50 years. The rainy season in summer will see more water being absorbed, while in the drier winter excess water will flow back into the mainstream to restore its balance, with beneficial effects for navigation and for the reproduction and feeding of fish. Commercial enterprises are showing interest in wetland-related business such as ecotourism and products like lotus and water chestnuts.

"WWF receives very strong support from the Government for its efforts", says Dr Lei Guangchan, Leader of the WWF Living Yangtze Programme. "Especially important is the Government's emphasis on managing the restoration programme on a large scale." A fitting reward for all these efforts would be an increase in the population of the wonderful baiji, the legendary God of the Yangtze.

The Yangtze - Third In World Terms

The Yangtze is one of the greatest rivers of the world. At 6,300km, it is the third longest after the Nile and the Amazon, and its annual discharge of 979 cu km into the East China Sea is the third greatest after the Amazon and the Congo. Some 400m people (a third of China's population) live within its vast basin, which drains 1.8m sq km, covers 20 per cent of China's territory and contains 40 per cent of the country's freshwater resources.

The river's source is high in the Tibetan plateau on Geladandong Mountain, and three quarters of its course runs through mountains. The upper reaches flow mainly southwards, before the river turns gradually eastwards and then north-eastwards, passing major cities like Chongqing and Wuhan to reach the sea at Shanghai. But the Yangtze, which traverses 11 provinces, is not only famous for its size. Its magnificent scenery has inspired writers, musicians and painters through the centuries. The wetlands, especially in the regions of Dongting Lake, Poyang Lake, Honghu Lake and Taihu Lake offer an unparalled cornucopia of natural beauty and biodiversity. The Dongting and Poyang lakes are home to more than 300 bird species and 200 fish species, while 95 per cent of the world's white crane population migrate to the Yangtze basin in winter and the extremely rare baiji or Yangtze River dolphin - found nowhere else on Earth - faces extinction with only 50-100 known to be surviving.