Shiliuyun/ Xinjiang Daily Correspondents: Wang Jingjing, Yang Changle

On November 16, 2022, Parhat Samat, head of Kuoketala Center Management Station of Xinjiang Ebinur Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve, opened the intelligent system of patrolling and managing forest and grass application on his mobile phone and checked the location of the rangers, the inspection route and the surrounding animals and plants in real time. “Once a dangerous situation is found, rangers can locate the coordinates, and the emergency team will arrive at the scene and deal with it as quickly as possible.” Parhat Samat said.

Photo shows Parhat Samat, head of Kuoketala Center Management Station of Xinjiang Ebinur Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve, measures the growth of plants while patrolling. (Photo by Xinjiang Ebinur Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve Administration)

At the beginning of August in 2022, a mountain fire caused by thunder was discovered by rangers, and Parhat led a six-member emergency team to the scene in one hour and extinguished the fire within four hours.

"When I first came to Ebinur Lake, I was just over 20 years old. Now my daughter is in high school. In the past, it used to be windy and tough, so I thought about leaving." Parhat said that when he first came here in 2002, the Xinjiang Ebinur Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve was established for two years. The wetland was small and wind swept across the dry lakebed, whipping up dust. The nearby Jinghe County has 112 days of sand and dust weather a year.

“The Ebinur Lake Wetland is located in the wind gap of the Alataw Pass. If we protect it well, it will become a green barrier. If it is not well protected, it will become the source of sand and dust.” In the first few years, when we patrolled, we told the villagers this truth." He said that in April 2007, with the approval of the State Council, the wetland was promoted to a national nature reserve, and the protection measures were more scientific and effective.

In August 2017, 189 herdsmen temporarily living in the Kekebasitao area of the reserve moved out, and all buildings in the reserve were demolished. “With less human activities, the number of animals and plants in the reserve has increased. And I think it is very meaningful to work here.” He said that when his daughter was young, she always wrote in her composition, "My father works in the Gobi"; Now, the place where her father worked in his daughter's composition has become a place with the reed marsh taller than people, and populus euphratica, haloxylon ammodendron, red willow and other vegetation grow lushly. The lake is glittering in the distance, and water birds are playing on the water.”

At present, Ebinur Lake wetland system has been improved. (Photo by Xinjiang Ebinur Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve Administration )

"At first, I didn't understand why we couldn't plant more trees and grass when herdsmen left, so that we could recover the ecological environment more quickly. Later, I learned that nature is amazing, and it can balance all kinds of animals and plants, and it's not good if people interfere too much." He said that they adhere to the principle of natural restoration. The local government has strengthened unified management of water use in the Ebinur Lake basin, built a large reservoir to replenish water in Ebinur Lake, strictly prohibited the entry of people and animals, and implemented water-saving irrigation, returning sand land to grassland, returning grazing land to wetland and other projects to improve vegetation coverage. At present, the water area of Ebinur Lake is basically stable at 400-600 square kilometers, the trend of degradation has been effectively alleviated, and the wetland system and climate have also been improved.

Photo shows the beautiful autumn scenery of Xinjiang Ebinur Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve. (Photo by Xinjiang Ebinur Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve Administration )

Parhat loves the autumn in Ebinur Lake Wetland. He thinks it is the time when plants are most flourishing and animals are most abundant and full of vitality. In July 2022, researchers completed the Biodiversity Report of Xinjiang Ebinur Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve after two years of work, which showed that there are 1096 species of wild animals and plants in the reserve. "I feel very relieved and enriched in guarding the wetland and these animals." he said.

The Ebinur Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve in Xinjiang is rich in biological resources, with 1096 species of wild animals and plants. (Photo by Xinjiang Ebinur Lake Wetland National Nature Reserve Administration )

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