中国湿地面积最大的省份，不在江南水乡，而是在这里！

在中国青藏高原的东北部，有一处蔚为壮观的湿地生态景观，青海湖。

这里不仅河流纵横、群山环绕，还有众多形态各异的沼泽草地、内陆滩涂。青海高原特殊的地理生态环境，造就了这里显著的高海拔湿地生态系统。

青海湖泉湾湿地  图源：青海湖国家级自然保护区管理局

这里拥有独特的高原“草—河—湖—鱼—鸟”共生生态链，如今青海湖将创建第一个以高原内陆湖泊湿地生态系统为核心保护对象的国家公园。

On this unique plateau, the ecological chain - from the land and waters to its wildlife - continues to nourish the land. Qinghai Lake is going to establish the first national park which regards the plateau inland lake wetland ecosystem as key for protection.

党的十八大以来，党中央把保护湿地作为生态文明建设的重要内容，采取了一系列修复、保护措施。

今年4月25日，国家公园管理局批复同意开展青海湖国家公园创建工作，标志着青海湖国家公园正式进入创建阶段。

青海湖甘子河湿地  图源：国家林业和草原局

如今，一个碧波荡漾的蓝图正在被描绘，一个高原上人与自然和谐共生的美好家园正在逐步实现。

A blueprint is being drawn and a beautiful home where man and nature coexist harmoniously on the plateau is gradually coming true.

青海湖鸟岛

青海湖国家级自然保护区位于青藏高原东北部，地跨二州三县，总面积约4952平方公里。

As an important breeding ground for waterfowl, the Bird Island in Qinghai Lake is one of the first Chinese wetlands to be included on the Ramsar Convention List of Wetlands of International Importance.

黑颈鹤  图源：国家林业和草原局

There are 232 species of birds in Qinghai Lake, including 50 species on the list of the China-Japan Agreement on the Protection of Migratory Birds, and 24 species included in the agreement signed by China and Australia to protect migratory birds and their habitats.

黑翅长脚鹬  图源：国家林业和草原局

In the 1970s, due to climate change and human activities, Qinghai Lake experienced ecological problems such as shrinkage, decreasing water levels, desertification and a loss of vegetation.

In the 1980s, Qinghai province began to explore sand fixation in alpine arid areas. Artificial shrubs gradually increased and so vegetation was restored naturally. The yellow sand is now covered with plants.

Since 2005, the lake's water level has risen. In 2021, the water area of Qinghai Lake reached 4,625.6 square kilometers, about 380 sq km more than in 2005.

Przewalski's gazelle is one of the most endangered animals in the world, and they only live in the area around Qinghai Lake. Compared with the initial stage of protection, the number of Przewalski's gazelle increased from less than 300 to more than 2,800.

The Qinghai provincial government implemented a policy of sealing the lake for breeding fish six times and adopted a series of protection measures. In 2021, the resource reserves of Przewalski's naked carp in Qinghai Lake increased by 33.6 percent compared with 2017, reaching 108,500 metric  tons, 42 times that of the initial stage of protection.