The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) will cooperate with the forestry bureau of central China's Hubei Province in establishing a wetland preservation network, said the source with the provincial government.  

People built dams in the 1950s separating the Yangtze River from Hubei's lakes, which was against natural laws, said Cai Shuming, vice chairman of Hubei Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Over-exploitation, pollution and silt had deteriorated water quality and reduced Hubei's lakes from 1,066 in 1949 to today's 325, he said.

Dr. Wang Limin, an official with WWF, said that the network would extend its protection over another 1000 sq km wetland of Hubei this year, by building of one province level and 2 state level preserves.

According to the agreement, WWF will finance Hubei's wetland protection programs including the establishment of the provincial wetland database, the maintenance and construction of wetland preserves, training of related personnel and the publicity work.

WWF would also restore the varieties of wildlife species of the wetland and help harness and control the Yangtze River, said Wang.

(Xinhua News Agency April 12, 2004)