Guangzhou's Haizhu district has been cooperating with the South China Institute of Environmental Science to calculate the gross ecosystem product (GEP) of the Haizhu wetland and to gradually build an urban GEP accounting system.

GEP calculates the total values of ecosystem products and services for human welfare and sustainable development in a given area. It is currently being used by a growing number of policymakers to track ecological performance alongside economic measures.

Comprehensively measuring the value of ecological resources, such as wetlands, rivers, and green spaces in Haizhu will help the public understand the natural and ecological environment more intuitively, as well as better protect the natural ecology.

At present, there are 835 species of vascular plants in 146 families recorded in Haizhu wetland. The wetland has 888 species of animals in 270 families, including 155 families and 536 species of insects, five families and eight species of amphibians, 11 families and 22 species of reptiles, 53 families and 187 species of birds, four families and eight species of mammals, 18 families and 60 species of fish, as well as 24 families and 67 species of benthic animals.

The relevant person in charge of Haizhu wetland said that the biodiversity of Haizhu wetland has improved significantly and the discovery of new species is an important achievement in the restoration of Haizhu's ecological environment.

In March, Haizhu integrated the resources of its judicial and law enforcement agencies to timely stop damages to its ecological environment. This year, a small company violated relevant environmental laws and regulations. After undergoing legal education, the operators of the company dismantled the production equipment that was emitting pollution and said that they would actively publicize and advocate environmental regulations going forward.

Beautiful Haizhu wetland. [Photo/Yangcheng Evening News]