身在天津的小伙伴不难发现，现在天津的天更蓝了、地更绿了、水更清了、鸟更多了……
沿海滩涂湿地生态保护
“绿水青山就是金山银山”。近年来，天津加强沿海滩涂湿地生态保护，稳步推进生态移民工程、全力推进土地流转、持续实施生态补水，湿地功能不断恢复。随着天津沿海滩涂湿地生态环境的改善，仅2019年途经的候鸟就多达200万只，东方白鹳、火烈鸟等珍稀鸟类也成了常客。
据观测，2019年北大港湿地过境候鸟数量累计达到100万只，相较往年增长5万只左右。观测到的候鸟种类达到276种，其中，国家Ⅰ级保护物种11种，国家Ⅱ级保护物种37种，比2017年的249种增长了10%。2019年首次在天津观测到的世界濒危物种白头硬尾鸭和雪雁，多年不见的国家一级保护物种黑鹳、大鸨皆现身北大港保护区，还观测到东方白鹳、白鹤、青头潜鸭、丹顶鹤、黑脸琵鹭、中华秋沙鸭、火烈鸟等珍稀鸟类。
据了解，为了保护依然在天津停留的候鸟，天津市于2019年12月9日至今年1月20日，在全市范围内开展野生动物巡护专项行动。
以滨海新区为例，在生态环境保护方面，滨海新区与天津中心城区双城中间绿色生态屏障正在顺利推进，截至去年6月，滨海新区2018-2019年3015亩的任务量已完成3260亩，完成了108.13%。
位于滨海新区的北大港湿地已经被列为国家级重要湿地，也是国内7处国际重要湿地之一。
此外，滨海新区将切实加大生态系统保护力度，扎实推进蓝天、碧水、净土三大保卫战，12条入海河流全面消除劣V类水质并保持基本稳定，坚决打好渤海综合治理攻坚战等标志性战役，降低主要污染物排放总量，持续改善生态环境质量，有效管控环境风险，协调推进经济社会高质量发展和生态环境高水平保护。
党的十八大以来，习近平总书记对生态文明建设高度重视，明确提出坚持人与自然和谐共生，并将其作为新时代坚持和发展中国特色社会主义的基本方略之一。
湿地生态环境好转，百万只候鸟飞临。天津全力守护湿地生态环境，正在践行创新、协调、绿色、开放、共享的发展理念，让老百姓收获“绿色幸福感”。
The 60-year-old professor at Beijing Normal University's Life Sciences School leads them to study the ecology, especially the bird species, and protection.
"We visit frequently to investigate and record information for databases and for the wetland's bid for a UNESCO World Natural Heritage listing in 2022," he says.
Zhang says the research shows that the Beidagang Wetland has surpassed most standards required for the listing.
Tianjin is an important stopover on one of the eight major bird-migration routes from South Asia to Australia, and many species rest in Beidagang's coastal area before flying to Australia or New Zealand.
The birds will return to Tianjin on their northward migrations that go as far as the North Pole.
"The wetland is essential for the birds' breeding and growth. Without it, they may be in danger during their migrations," Zhang says.
Beidagang Wetland Management Center deputy director Sun Baonian says they've made concrete efforts to improve rare-bird protection in recent years.
A total of 1,347 Oriental storks have been identified in the wetlands, accounting for nearly 45 percent of the species' global migration population, he says. They prefer to nest in high trees and buildings.
Since Beidagang doesn't have enough high trees, the center has set up 20 artificial nesting areas on poles, 13 of which have been used by the waterfowl. And 17 chicks were born in the wetlands late last year.
The center also offers "homes" for volunteers and tourists, who come to learn more about wetland protection and enhance their awareness about how to protect the wetlands and birds.
Wen Cheng, a member of the UNESCO World Heritage application committee under the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, says Beidagang will join the application of the Yellow and Bohai Seas' migratory-bird project.
Wen points out that the project has been supported by the International Union for Conservation of Nature since 2012, following a highlevel meeting in South Korea.
In 2016, the IUCN encouraged China to apply for UNESCO status for the sites. A growing number of international organizations have since expressed support.
Beidagang hosts 70 percent of the world's endangered Central Asian gulls.
A total of 276 avian species, including 11 under national protection, use the wetland.
The population of each species in Beidagang exceeds 1 percent of the global total, researchers say.
Tianjin was once the Yellow River's estuary. An ancient shell dam on the coastline may reveal the ancient sea's development.
"All these facts meet UNESCO's criteria," Wen says.
Beidagang Wetland covers nearly 350 square kilometers, including a core area of about 115 sq km, in the southeast of the Binhai New Area.
The city has released a comprehensive plan for the wetlands' protection from 2018 to 2021.
In 2019, the Binhai New Area reclaimed over 77 sq km of fishing areas as wetlands. It also reclaimed nearly 9 sq km of farmland, and relocated 10 enterprises and 24 families.
Shang Chenghai, deputy director of the reserve's administrative committee, says the water reserve has increased to 379 million cubic meters, and the wetland area has increased from 140 sq km to 240 sq km in the last two years.
