In accordance with an agreement signed late last month by WWF and the city of Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, Zhangdu Lake in the city's Xinzhou District has been chosen as the first target for restoration.

Wang Limin, that chief representative for the program, said that a group of eight specialists had been experimenting with new substitute industries local farmers could switch to once the lake was restored.

Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd. would provide the program with 15 million yuan (about US$1.81 million), he noted.

It is expected that the group will come up with a research report about social and ecological development around the lake in August this year.

In addition to restoring the connection with the Yangtze, WWF will also support local government in constructing a wetland nature reserve on Zhangdu Lake and help the area gain economic benefits from protection and eventually achieve a sustainable development.

Zhangdu Lake, which used to flow directly into the mighty Yangtze, had spread to 155 sq km by the 1930s. The lake has been isolated from the Yangtze and its water area has dwindled to the present 40 sq km as a result of large-scale land reclamation drive to cater to the pressure arising from a rapidly growing population and rising demand for food grain.

Because of the isolation, biodiversity has decreased, leading to a loss of 25 kinds of fish species alone. The economic returns from the land reclamation proved low due to a lack of commercial diversification and low production levels.

"The Yangtze River program is designed to improve people's awareness of protecting the Yangtze and the wetlands," said Wang, who voice the hope that more firms and businesses would be involved in the program.

(Xinhua News Agency June 9, 2003)