Local compensation policy turns villagers into bird guardians in China's Jiangxi

Jiang Liangqing (1st R) and a colleague observe and record the condition of migratory birds in Yugan County, east China's Jiangxi Province, on Feb. 27, 2026. Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake and an extensive wetland, is a vital wintering and stopover site along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Every winter, thousands of Siberian cranes, a critically endangered species, gather in Yugan County, which lies to the southeast of the lake.

Decades ago, local villagers faced a dilemma. On the one hand, capturing or killing migratory birds was against the law. On the other hand, leaving the birds undisturbed could lead to serious crop losses. To reduce the damage, villagers around the lake often went to great lengths to drive birds away, using firecrackers, beating gongs, and setting up scarecrows.

To address the problem, local authorities introduced a compensation mechanism. Villagers whose crops have been damaged in the course of wetland and migratory bird conservation can receive compensation. The policy has helped reduce crop losses for villagers while supporting bird conservation. As a result, more migratory birds now winter at Poyang Lake, and the local birdwatching economy has flourished.

Jiang Liangqing, once troubled by the "bird dilemma," is now a bird guardian in Yugan County. "I have more than 100 mu (about 6.67 hectares) of rice fields, where migratory birds often come to forage," Jiang said. "It used to be a problem, but now I receive compensation after local authorities assess my crop losses."

"Now I'm a bird guardian. I patrol the wetlands every day and share knowledge about bird conservation with tourists," Jiang said. Like him, many local villagers have joined conservation efforts, including raising ecological awareness and patrolling wetlands. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

Jiang Liangqing checks the condition of agro-machinery ahead of spring farming in Yugan County, east China's Jiangxi Province, on Feb. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

This photo taken on Feb. 27, 2026 shows migratory birds perching and foraging in Yugan County, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

Jiang Liangqing shares migratory birds conservation knowledge with a tourist in Yugan County, east China's Jiangxi Province, on Feb. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

This photo taken on Feb. 27, 2026 shows migratory birds perching and foraging in Yugan County, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

Jiang Liangqing patrols a field visited by migratory birds in Yugan County, east China's Jiangxi Province, on Feb. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

Jiang Liangqing checks the condition of fields in Yugan County, east China's Jiangxi Province, on Feb. 27, 2026. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

This photo taken on Feb. 27, 2026 shows migratory birds perching and foraging in Yugan County, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)