The management bureau of Guangdong Neilingding Futian National Nature Reserve and Mangrove Foundation have joined forces to improve the aquatic environment in Mangrove Nature Reserve to welcome migratory birds coming this winter, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.
Under a pond environment restoration project, staff will turn ponds into sound habitats for migratory birds to stay during winter, based on birds’ feeding habits and their sizes, according to the report.
“In order to provide a comfortable living environment for migratory birds, the nature reserve has launched pond environment restoration projects since 2016,” said Deng Zibing, director of the management bureau.
“We will conduct meticulous management to build a five-star ecological environment for migratory birds,” said Deng.
Moreover, reed management is another issue as overgrown reeds at ponds might reduce living space for migratory birds and affect birds’ flying activities, according to Xu Hualin, a staffer with the nature reserve.
It is said that normally shore birds are more willing to stay in shallow habitats with low vegetation coverage and plenty of bare beach areas.
As a result, related research work will be launched simultaneously to manage pond reeds to provide a better environment for birds.
Shenzhen Bay is said to be an important stepping stone habitat for migratory birds from Siberia to Australia, attracting roughly 100,000 birds each year.
Futian mangrove ecosystem is composed of three subsystems: tidal flat, mangrove forest and fish ponds. In 2006, the city government recovered nearly 1,200 acres of fish ponds from local villagers and handed them over to the reserve for management.
After years of natural evolution, fish ponds have gradually become terrestrial, with inland wetland vegetation growing in shallow water areas. The deep water areas and the fish ponds are no longer suitable for wading birds to land, said the report.