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 /PRNewswire/
-- On June
22, United
States Senator and former Majority LeaderHarry
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 northeastChina,
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.