The Shenzhen Overseas Chinese Town (OCT) Wetland is the only coastal mangrove wetland in China's metropolitan hinterland, with over 1,600 species of flora and fauna recorded so far. Chen Xiaoyu, a wetland volunteer teacher nicknamed "Little Fish", has spent five years there and logged over 1,500 hours of volunteer service.
"In such a technologically and economically advanced place like Nanshan District, we still keep a pristine place, which demonstrates our pursuit of greenness and beauty," Chen said.
Since its inception in 2012, the marsh has always been open to the public free of charge. With the concept of "keeping it natural", it avoids sterilizing mosquitoes, refrains from pruning plants for landscaping, and keeps all lights off at night, creating a viable habitat for various organisms.
To ensure the integrity and naturalness of its ecosystem, the park is also managed as a reserve. It strictly controls the number of visitors based on the ecological carrying capacity, allowing only 400 visitors per day. This policy has earned it the title of "the hardest-to-get-into park in Shenzhen" among netizens.
"This tree was uprooted by Tropical Storm Mangkhut, but we let it grow without pruning it." Volunteers have been surprised to find that even after being felled, the tree can grow naturally and become lush and dense. "Nature tells us that even with just a little light, plants will struggle to grow, and so will people," Chen explained the vitality of nature to tourists.”
Some people might ask Chen if she gets tired of coming to the wetland so often. "Not at all! It's new every time I come, which is evidenced by the changing plants and animals in different seasons," Chen laughs.
“The volunteer teachers are elites from all walks of life. Dressed in “green vests” as volunteers, they impart knowledge of nature with passion. The longest-serving volunteer has been with us for 11 years, and there are also five or six volunteers who have served for 10 years. Today, there are over 600 volunteers, and every volunteer service opportunity is highly sought after.
One volunteer nicknamed "Little Kingfisher" came to the marsh at the age of four, with Chen as her guide. The girl became a junior volunteer last year. Her mother said that the teacher's efforts to acquaint her with nature have sown a seed of love for nature in her heart, so she hopes to become a volunteer like the teacher.
Life in Shenzhen is fast-paced, but when you go to the wetland, you will feel comfortable and at ease. Chen hopes that more people will join them in becoming guardians of nature.
