Brave children
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Freeing a raptor |
The volunteers stayed on the bank, keeping a close watch over the swans, and carefully following the moves of any visitors. They had to stand for nearly 15 hours per day, and each had to stay on watch for two days and one night before a change of shift. During this period, food for the volunteers on duty had to be brought by other colleagues from outside, as they had to keep the remaining three swans under constant surveillance. On November 22 the swans left the location, but the volunteers stayed at their posts until November 24, when they were sure that the swans would not come back.
During the guard, the volunteers printed more than 5,000 copies of leaflets on protecting white swans and distributed them to the local residents. This extensive publicity campaign left the locals deeply dismayed by the death of the swan, and built a real sense of the importance of environmental protection in the community.
From 2008 Fang began to turn his eyes towards the more spacious south and northeast regions of China, and established contact points in five provinces, including Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan and Liaoning. They are respectively Zhejiang Greeneyes Environmental Center, Fujian Greeneyes Environmental Center, Guangdong South China Nature Society, Hainan Environment Volunteer Center, and Liaoning Dalian Greeneyes Project Office. Greeneyes is becoming more professional. They have now started to investigate cases such as illegal trading in local wildlife, and the protection of natural ecology.
In February 2009, Greeneyes set up its south China wildlife protection hotline (40088 05110) to collect reports of illegal wildlife trading, and to assist with wildlife protection in south China. People call it "Animal 110."It is the first wildlife protection hotline set up by a non-governmental organization in China, and it has helped many small animals and wild animals to find a home. Greeneyes has developed from a group of just over 10 volunteers to an association with several thousand; the organization expanded from one or two middle schools to more than 10, and now covers more than 100 colleges, middle schools, primary schools and communities.
Through this process, Fang Minghe has grown increasingly mature and considered in his views: "I used to be at a loss at how to deal with reality, but now I will try to change it”; "We should keep a low profile in our own conduct and actions, but we should undertake constructive cooperation.”
What makes him happiest is to release rescued wild animals back into the wild. Fang himself has released many rare and precious birds. "Seeing them flying, I feel I am also free!"he says. He once said optimistically: "Although our strength is limited, we have the enthusiasm and firm faith of the young. These are like sparks that will sooner or later start a prairie fire.”
His words are for Greeneyes, and also for all the other Environmental NGOs populated by young people.
"We Are All Good Children" is Fang Minghe's favorite song: "We are all good children, the most innocent children, recalling distant memories of happiness or loneliness; we are all good children, children indulging in the wildest fantasies, shedding tears together for happiness…”
(This story was selected from the book Stories of China's Environmental NGOs published by Foreign Languages Press.)
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