Conservation of wetlands goes hand in hand with professional knowledge

After the induction of two wetlands into environmental protection by the Macau government in 2001, the Environmental Committee and the Environmental Protection Bureau have dedicated enormous manpower and resources to the ecological management of the wetlands. However, there is a lack of scientific knowledge for the “optimization” of such endeavors, according to an opinion yesterday by Tian Xiao (天 曉) on Macau Daily News (澳門日報).
“With no objective scientific understanding of the wetlands and no research documented in writing by relevant ecological experts, the number of species residing on the wetlands is now decreasing each year, reflecting the incompetence of the Environmental Committee and the Environmental Protection Bureau’s efforts in protecting the wetland,” Tian pointed out.
Tian also recommended that the related government entities should limit human activities and mechanical noises and let the ecological functions of the wetlands naturally restore on their own; any large-scale surveys, unnecessary research, or transplants would not be appropriate. Moreover, he suggested that the Environmental Protection Bureau should assume sole responsibility for wetland protection, rather than allowing other government entities carry out their “interpretation” of such endeavors.