News

Songhua River fest fetes historic wetlands

By Zhao Bian (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-06-01 10:56

The Volga Farm, a Russian-style resort, is on a wetland area near Harbin. Zhao Tianhua / for China Daily

Several decades ago, the northeastern province of Heilongjiang was known across the nation as the "northern wildlands".

In addition to vast virgin forests, its widespread wetlands of rivers, streams, lakes and marshes constituted greatly to the wildness.

A half-century later, the province is now known as the "northern granary" and an important industrial base. And the wildness is gone, although Heilongjiang still has the largest area of wetlands and forests in the country.

But this week, the province will host a wetland festival to revive the memory of the old days.

The first-ever Harbin Songhua River Wetland Festival will open in the provincial capital of Harbin on June 5.

The 15-day event will be inaugurated at Anti-Flood Square next to the Songhua River, a monument to the heroism of residents in fighting the flood of 1998, the biggest of the century.

It is also a reminder that that the flood was a result of ecological deterioration, especially a decrease in wetlands and forests that play an important role in water and soil preservation.

While raising people's awareness in protecting the environment, the festival is mostly a carnival for locals and tourists.

There will be 22 varied activities, including a fishing contest, a kite competition, concerts, float parades both on the streets and the river, firework shows and a photography contest.

Because the traditional Dragon Boat Festival is just one day after the opening ceremony, dragon boat races will be held on the Songhua River, with the participation of both professional athletes and amateurs from across the nation.

A highlight of the event is tours of many wetland parks in and around the city, including Sun Island, the Golden River Bay, the Songhua River, the Hulan River and Volga Farm.

(China Daily 06/01/2011 page30)