In the news release, US Senator Recognizes Conservation Efforts
of Wenliang Wang, issued
July 23, 2015 over PR Newswire, we
are advised that the organization which issued the news should have
read "China Dandong Yalu River Estuary Wetland Gushan Protection
Station" as the source rather than "Mr. Wenliang Wang", as originally issued
inadvertently. The complete, corrected release follows:
US Senator Recognizes Conservation Efforts of Wenliang Wang
WASHINGTON, July 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 22, United
States Senator and former Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) recognized Mr. Wenliang Wang, Chairman of the China Rilin
Industrial Group, for his conservation efforts to restore the
Dandong Yalu River Estuary Wetland in China. These wetlands that cover more than
200,000 acres are considered to be of "great importance as a
feeding and resting area for hundreds of thousands of the world's
migrating and wading birds," according to the Dandong Yalu River
Estuary Wetland National Nature Reserve.
Photo- http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150722/240588
Photo- http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150722/240589
The Senator said, "Mr. President, I rise today to recognize
entrepreneur and philanthropist Wenliang
Wang for his commitment and dedication to restoring one of
the world's most impressive wetlands, the Dandong Yalu River
Estuary Wetland in China."
Reid went on to say that it was Mr. Wang's, "private efforts and
personal connection to the [Dandong] area that has influenced him
to invest millions of dollars in the restoration of the Dandong
Yalu River Estuary Wetland."
According to the Dandong Yalu River Estuary Wetland National
Nature Reserve, there are approximately 5 million wading birds of
55 kinds that fly across 20 countries and regions from Alaska to Siberia, down south through East Asia, Southeast
Asia to Australia and
New Zealand. The wetland is
1,860-3,100 miles from breeding grounds in Alaska and Siberia, and 3,100-3,728 miles from
Australia and New Zealand where wading birds spend their
winters. It is the closest place near the north-pole tundra for the
wading birds to get sufficient foods before they go into breeding
zones. Following its restoration, the wetlands have become one of
the most inhabited wetlands on these migratory routes with over one
million birds spending the winter, passing through, or making the
wetlands home because of its unique location, friendly eco environs
and abundant food supplies.
In March 2007, 12 bar-tailed
godwits labeled "E7" in New
Zealand were tagged for the first time with satellite GPS
tracking devices to monitor their activities. On March 17th, 2007, the E7 left Miranda,
New Zealand, flew 7 days non-stop
for 6,342 miles and reached the Dandong Yalu River Estuary Wetland.
This was the longest non-stop flight recorded for migratory birds.
There were several suitable places on the way where E7 could have
landed, but they chose to bypass those and continue on to the
wetlands as bar-tailed godwits have high loyalty to their resting
places. For the next five weeks, the E7 resided in the wetlands to
prepare for their flight to Alaska
that was recorded on May 1, 2007.
Currently, there are 250 kinds of birds and 76 kinds of fish, 103
various species of amphibians and mammals, and 365 different plants
in the wetlands.
In terms of its role in conservation, the wetland has also
become a popular feeding and resting hub for one of the world's
rarest birds, the Saunders's Gull. There are only 7,000 of these
birds left in the world, and over 2,600 have made the wetland their
home. In 2014, the Wetlands International awarded the Dandong Yalu
River Estuary Wetland the title "Best Station for Plover
Snipes".
Over the past decade, Mr. Wang has made the Dandong Port one of
the most important gateways for northeast China, with an annual capacity of 138 million
metric tons. His business is now the largest taxpayer in Dandong, a
city with a population of nearly 2.5 million.
Additionally, Mr. Wang's business interests have expanded into
different sectors, including becoming one of the largest buyers of
soybeans and corns from US and Brazil to produce high quality soybean oils
for Chinese markets. Mr. Wang has given tens of millions to several
universities including Harvard and
NYU here in the US, as well as 30
schools and 1,000 households annually in impoverished areas of
China. Recently, Mr. Wang made a
commitment to invest millions of dollars to grow mangroves in the
US, Brazil and China in an effort to save our shorelines and
restore the wetlands.
"I applaud Mr. Wang for his commitment to protecting the
internationally significant Dandong Yalu River Estuary Wetland and
wish him the very best in his continued efforts to protect our
environment and restore these important sites," said Senator
Reid.