(1) Restoration of Chuanzi River and Liuye Lake in the center of the city.
Located near the flood plain where Yuan River meets Dongting Lake, Changde enjoyed rich water resources, fisheries and farming, however, it also faces flooding risks. The last two decades development has damaged rivers and lakes within the city and ecosystem services, caused flooding and water pollution . To address such issue, the city decided to invest 1.2 billion USD to restore rivers and lakes in the urban areas, including restoration of Chuanzi River, through enhancement of morphological forms, hydro-logical linkage among the Liuye Lake, urban parks, and Yuan River, as well as wetland vegetation and landscapes, construct artificial wetlands to treat sewage water, and most importantly to restore wetland culture, in particular, river street and intangible culture (arts). Restoration of Liuye Lake focused on return farmland into lakes, which increased lake area by 20%, and on the water quality restoration. Now, citizens are enjoying the benefits of the wetland restoration, and become proud of the wetlands and wetland culture restored in their cities, a much more beautiful and attractive city, with safe environment, clean water, and much improved quality of life that benefit all citizens. Both the restored river and lake are becoming tourists destinations. Citizens can take boat trip along the river to experience wetlands and culture performs, as well as leisure time along the river street, and museums.
(2) Restoration of wetlands to safeguard and maintain ecological characters of the West Dongting Lake Ramsar site.
Due to improper management of flood plains before the designation of Ramsar site, key wintering birds habitat has been lost to the popular plantations, meanwhile, river and lakes at upstream have also been over exploited by sand-mining, aquaculture, as well as reeds plantations. The city government, invested at least 200 million USD, including subsidies from Central Government, restored at least 3000 ha of popular plantation to Corex marshes, key habitat for wintering geese, and stop all sand mining in Yuan River National Wetland Park, restored reeds plantations within AnxiangShuyuanzhou National Wetland Park, and upgraded Maoli Lake from heavily polluted water body to health lake with water quality improved to at drinkable level through lake shore wetland restoration, and building up constructed wetland to treat sewage water from villages.