Wetlands conservation in Beijing of China: Present status and development strategies

Abstract

The urbanization in Beijing intensified the fragmentation of ecosystems, especially for the forests and wetlands. Wetlands provide multiple ecological services (e.g., a food source, climate regulation). Thus, wetland protection is part of the foundation for sustainable economic and social development for Beijing. This study summarizes the experience of well-developed cities in wetland protection and sustainable development and subsequently analyzes the current issues of Beijing’s wetlands. The results showed that a limited resource space, high human stress, and lack of scientifically based polices are the main obstacles. Therefore, we recommend the following: (1) support the utilization of rainwater and reclaimed water and optimize the coordinated utilization of water resources, (2) strengthen the ecological protection and restoration efforts to realize the ecological protection system of water–city integration, (3) build a forest water complex ecosystem in metropolises to create a livable environment with forest and water, and (4) conduct scientific and technological research on the optimal total amount of wetlands and develop wetland technologies.