Located to the southwest of Tanghai County in Hebei Province, on the northern shore of the Bohai Sea, the Caofeidian Wetlands Park lies 25 kilometers from the Port of Caofeidian. It is not only the hinterland of the port, but also a hub connecting inland areas with the Caofeidian Industrial Zone, to which the park is expected to serve as a "back garden" in the future. 220 kilometers east of Beijing and 150 kilometers west of Qin Huangdao, the park is a thoroughfare enjoying a favorable location.

In the vast tracts of the park, a wide variety of animals and plants thrive in some distinctive ecological zones. Caofeidian is lauded as the only wetland and natural reserve for birds in Hebei Province.

Three features distinguish the park. Covering an area of 11,000 hectares, the large size of the park is an important distinction. Another is the diversity of wetland varieties. The park is a fine example of the integration of natural wetlands with artificial wetlands, boasting nine different types in total, including coastal low beaches and reed ponds as well as rice fields and irrigation canals. The third is its abundance of wild animals and plants.

It is home to 238 species of wild plants, including four species of newly-discovered second-grade state-protected plants, ginkgo, lotus, wild soybean, and wild water caltrop. It also boasts 107 species of phytoplankton, 17 species of wild terrestrial animals, 49 species of crustaceans, 63 of mollusks, 286 of insects, 124 of fish and 307 species of birds. Among these, there are 9 species of first-grade state-protected birds such as the red-crowned crane, the white crane and the golden eagle. Additionally 42 other species of second-grade state-protected birds found in Caofeidian are swans, falcons, vultures and eagles. The whole wetland eco-system is a habitat for rare migratory birds, where flocks from over 100 species migrate annually, totaling more than 60,000. The 0.57 hectare forest is well planned with a neatly-arranged tree grid, offering an example of the shelter-forest landscape found in northern China.

At present, the protection, exploitation and utilization of the wetlands are gaining momentum with large ongoing projects such as the construction of a direct highway to the port, a plain reservoir and the Shougang International Expert Service Center. The wetlands park-in-the-making will feature as a multi-functional tourist attraction, combining travel, vacation, recreation, fitness, exhibition and modern business services and wetlands culture.

(China.org.cn July 12, 2007)