Changshu City, located in southeastern Jiangsu Province, has abundant wetland resources. It has continuously strengthened wetland conservation and ecological restoration, adhering to the principle of “comprehensive protection, scientific restoration, wise use, and sustainable development“.

It has established a five-level wetland conservation system, including national wetland parks, provincial wetland parks, wetland protection areas, municipal important wetlands, and rural wetlands. A three-level wetland management system has also been built, with a wetland management committee, a wetland protection management station, and specialized management institutions.

Changshu has innovated in the scientific research support system by establishing an ecological research institute. It has also established an ecological compensation assessment system and integrated the wetland science popularization and education system.

The city has focused on scientific research innovation to improve the quality of wetland protection, developing practical technical toolkits for wetland restoration, building a smart wetland monitoring system, carrying out standardized construction of small wetlands, promoting professional services of wetland stewards, and trying to implement wetland product certification.

Through wetland conservation, restoration and wise use, Changshu has reaped the ecological benefits of wetland protection, with significantly improved environmental quality, remarkable achievements in ecological agriculture, substantial income from ecological tourism, a prominent brand of a wetland city, and the attraction of new-quality productivity.