By Crystal Zhang
It was in the reclamation between Taipa and Coloane and was established by the Macao government in the period of 2003 to 2004. It is the first man-made coastal conservation area in Macao in order to protect Mangroves and migratory birds.
What’s more, it was named one of the “Ten Charming Wet- lands of China” in 2013 by CCTV, China’s national TV, which is not only the recognition of the natural beauty, but also the acknowledgment of ecological protection achievements of Macao.
Casinos and construction projects around the conservation area.
However, Leong Kun Fong, an administration committee member, who has been involved in the front line work of wet- land protection, was quoted by Macao Monthly that the protection of Macao wetlands has suffered from more problems like the construction of casinos and noise pollution. And the size of wetlands has decreased year by year.
Why does this situation happen?
As an example of the conservation area in Co- tai, Macao wetlands don’t own a core area and buffer zone like other places such as the Xixi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, Shahu Nature Reserve in Ningxia, etc. The distance between the city area and the wetlands is very short. It is basically wetlands in the city, part of the urban scenery to connect the city with the nature. There are bird pavilions where people can watch birds through a telescope. Obviously, it brings a special beauty of harmonious combination of city and natural environment.
However, with the economic development, this scenery has changed dramatically. A large number of construction projects are being planned and carried out, colossal buildings are every- where. As various construction projects have been underway continuously, they have dam- aged the surrounding environment and disturbed the bird habitat. The conservation area is now surrounded by various casinos, hotels and never-ending construction sites.
The roads, which go around the conservation, bear a heavy traffic now with large construction trucks coming and going. It makes a certain noise pollution and imposes a certain impact on the habitat of migratory birds. Mandy Wang, a Birding Association member expressed that, as the time goes by, more and more problems have appeared like the noise pollution, especially the noise of helicopters. According to their observation, the habitat is smaller and smaller. She said that the Macao government should plant trees to surround the conservation area to reduce the impact of noise on the birds.
Wetlands serve as human life purifiers, which bear significant environmental features. The natural ecology can make appropriate accommodation with the social development. Once the environment is damaged, it cannot be easily rescued. A natural environment will never come again, and the last victim is always our own.
Whether the ecological protection zone can keep a sustainable development or not, the prospect is uncertain.