Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Rgret Park Scene. (Photo by Correspondent)

Recently, Dr. Jiao Shengwu from the Research Institute of Subtropical Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, conducted a bird survey at the Egret Park in Zhenhai Refining & Chemical. Data shows that as of the end of July 2025, the number of egrets in the park has exceeded 5,000, reaching a peak of 5,282 during the breeding season.

Located within the production facility area of Zhenhai Refining & Chemical, the Egret Park is a nesting and breeding site for egrets every spring. This year, the egret population has increased by 41% compared to the same period last year, with night herons and egrets showing the most significant growth. As China’s first birdwatching site established within an industrial enterprise, the Egret Park was selected as one of the global corporate biodiversity conservation case studies by the United Nations COP15.

Egrets are highly selective about their habitats and are often referred to as "ecological inspectors."

"From an ecological standpoint, for such a large and diverse egret population to form within an industrial area—along with such high population density and growth rate—is rare globally," said Dr. Jiao Shengwu.

Dr. Jiao's team has long been tracking the dynamic biodiversity changes in the Egret Park. “Using fixed-point observations, transect surveys, and random sampling, we systematically recorded bird species composition, spatial distribution patterns, and their correlation with environmental factors,” Jiao explained. Thanks to Zhenhai Refining & Chemical’s ongoing efforts in biodiversity conservation and its goal of becoming a waste-free and odour-free green demonstration base, the number of smaller egrets and night herons has rapidly increased within the park's core area, which spans 15,000 square meters.

“More than 20 years ago, we discovered many egrets nesting in a small forest near the liquefied gas filling station inside the plant. That’s when Zhenhai Refining & Chemical introduced the concept of ‘Let the egrets tell you,’” said Huang Zhongwen, a senior expert at Sinopec Group. “Guided by this innovative idea, multiple departments collaborated to protect this rare bird habitat within an industrial zone. Pipelines were rerouted for egrets, construction paused for egrets, and planning adjusted for egrets—what we call the ‘Three Detours’ to safeguard the egrets’ home.”

As one of the first environmentally friendly enterprises in China, Zhenhai Refining & Chemical has been exploring the balance between ecological conservation and industrial development for over two decades. In recent years, the company has advanced the renovation and upgrading of the Egret Park, building a three-tiered ecological system consisting of a core zone, buffer zone, and surrounding influence zone. Their efforts have turned the petrochemical facility into a green demonstration site and a frontier for urban biodiversity protection.

“This area provides a safe breeding environment for egrets. As long as the conditions remain favourable, they will continue to choose this place to reproduce. That’s a strong indicator of a healthy ecosystem,” Dr. Jiao added.

Moreover, through the I-egret platform—China’s first global slow live-stream dedicated to egrets—the public can watch the birds in real-time during breeding season. So far, the platform has reached 150 million views and has attracted over 1 million overseas readers.

Source: Ningbo Evening News

Reporter: Teng Hua

Correspondents: Xu Chao, Zhang Tianlu

Editor: Ye Ke