Restoration of Chuanzi River has been involved local communities, artists, ecologist from universities, and Chinese Academy of Sciences, as well as German Hanovi, on the design and planning of the river restoration, the river street design and operation, harbor design and operation of the boast trip, art performance at seven designated locations along the river.
Co-management of the West Dongting Lake Ramsar site has fully involved the civil groups for the development of management plans, and implementation of organic farming, organic- fisheries to address non-point pollution around the West Dongting Lake. The Association for Wetland Conservation in Hanshou County have participated in wetland monitoring activities.
Qingshan Polder used to be a part of the West Dongting Lake, and the villagers were fisherman for generations, however, wetland were reclaimed as rice paddies during the 1970s reclamation campaign encouraged by the government, in order to produce more grain to feed people. Reclamation took away the fishing ground, and not only changed the life of local communities, but also brought great risks for their life and properties. Disaster flooding were took place in 1995, 1996 and 1998. After the flooding in 1998, the government decided to restore the polder back to West Dongting Lake, local communities lost their livelihoods. With the help of WWF, the villagers organized as a team to conduct traditional fishery, as well as eco-tourism. The alternative livelihood had improved the quality of life for local communities, and the experience had been promoted to near by villages, and hence more wetlands are restored. Meanwhile, the government declared West Dongting Lake as nature reserve, and designated as Ramsar site in 2002. In order to ensure sustainable livelihoods of local communities, and meanwhile restore as much as possible wetlands, the Ramsar site authority signed co-management agreement with Qingshan Polder villagers. Local communities were encouraged to restore wetlands and conduct sustainable use of wetlands as their livelihoods, with the empowerment of Ramsar site authorities.