(1) Wetlands are key elements of Changde spatial planning and integrated city management- Spatial zoning: fully take into consideration of Yuan River, a large river that divide the city into south and north district, Liuye Lake, located at the north suburb to mitigate flooding, provide recreation and leisure spots for the city, and Chuanzi River, that connects Liuye Lake and Yuan River, as the green corridor passing through the busiest heart of the city, as spongy city, cooling city, beautiful city and culture city development.- Integrated Lake Basin Management (including water resource management, the development of transport infrastructure, agriculture production, fuel supply, poverty alleviation, pollution control, flood risk management, disaster risk reduction):Changede is a key component of the Dongting Lake Region Ecological and Economic Development Strategies that approved by the State Council. It is not only provides 60 billion cubic meters water to the Dongitng Lake and lower reaches of Yangtze River, as well as the national production bases for rice, fish, cotton and edible oil, but also one of the 35 national biodiversity conservation priority areas, as well as one of 7 national flood mitigation infrastructure for the Yangtze River, as well as the key harbor of “Golden Waterways of Yangtze River”. Therefore, the spatial zoning and management plans of Changede city has set out the objectives, in particular, the following are related to wetlands, e.g., create and restore wetland in built up areas to reduce flooding, restore of West Dongting Lake from 35,000 ha to 70,000 ha, restore fragmented river and lakes, protection of natural forests for safe drinking water, designate more nature reserves (including wetlands and forest type) to ensure 19.8% of forests and wetland under legal protection.
(2) Key measures- Policies:
Wetland eco-compensation that provide incentives for local communities undertake wetland restoration, as well as its complementary measure to wetland red-line zoning within the whole city- Legislation:
There are a series legislation on wetlands as indicated in section A3 to regulate any activities that damage or change status of wetlands. - Guidelines
Dongting Lake Ecological Economic Development Strategies and Planning
Red-line zoning guidelines
Wetland conservation and restoration guidelines
Spongy City Development Guidelines