Aerial photo taken on June 23, 2018 shows a wetland of the Yellow River Delta national nature reserve in Dongying, east China's Shandong Province. The city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province will apply for the 2021 Wetland City Accreditation of the Ramsar Convention, the municipal forestry bureau announced. The announcement was made as the city joined the global "Earth Hour" campaign Saturday night by turning off lights on major landmarks. Wuhan, which sits at the confluence of the Yangtze River and its longest tributary Han River, boasts about 1,624 square km of wetlands, accounting for 18.9 percent of the city's total area. The bureau said Wuhan's wetlands are home to more than 400 wild animal species and over 400 plant species. A total of 18 cities from seven countries were honored as international wetland cities in 2018. Six Chinese cities were among the list, namely Haikou, Harbin, Changde, Changshu, Dongying and Yinchuan. (Xinhua/Guo Xulei)

WUHAN, March 31 (Xinhua) -- The city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province will apply for the 2021 Wetland City Accreditation of the Ramsar Convention, the municipal forestry bureau announced.

The announcement was made as the city joined the global "Earth Hour" campaign Saturday night by turning off lights on major landmarks.

Wuhan, which sits at the confluence of the Yangtze River and its longest tributary Han River, boasts about 1,624 square km of wetlands, accounting for 18.9 percent of the city's total area.

The bureau said Wuhan's wetlands are home to more than 400 wild animal species and over 400 plant species.

"Wuhan is a competitive applicant not only because of its abundant wetland resources, but also due to its pioneering wetland protection mechanism," said Lei Gang, an expert with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) China's freshwater program.

"Wuhan was the first Chinese city to implement an ecological compensation mechanism for wetlands and to carry out the strictest lake management regulations," Lei added.

The Ramsar Convention, or the Convention on Wetlands, is an inter-governmental environmental treaty adopted in 1971. It provides the framework for national actions and international cooperation regarding the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

The Ramsar Convention introduced the Wetland City Accreditation scheme in 2015, aiming to recognize cities that make exceptional efforts to safeguard their urban wetlands.

A total of 18 cities from seven countries were honored as international wetland cities in 2018. Six Chinese cities were among the list, namely Haikou, Harbin, Changde, Changshu, Dongying and Yinchuan.

Photo taken on Dec. 22, 2016 shows a wetland park along a greenway across Donghu Lake in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province. The city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province will apply for the 2021 Wetland City Accreditation of the Ramsar Convention, the municipal forestry bureau announced. The announcement was made as the city joined the global "Earth Hour" campaign Saturday night by turning off lights on major landmarks. Wuhan, which sits at the confluence of the Yangtze River and its longest tributary Han River, boasts about 1,624 square km of wetlands, accounting for 18.9 percent of the city's total area. The bureau said Wuhan's wetlands are home to more than 400 wild animal species and over 400 plant species. A total of 18 cities from seven countries were honored as international wetland cities in 2018. Six Chinese cities were among the list, namely Haikou, Harbin, Changde, Changshu, Dongying and Yinchuan. (Xinhua/Cheng Min)

Birds fly over a Fuhe river wetland in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 24, 2016. The city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province will apply for the 2021 Wetland City Accreditation of the Ramsar Convention, the municipal forestry bureau announced. The announcement was made as the city joined the global "Earth Hour" campaign Saturday night by turning off lights on major landmarks. Wuhan, which sits at the confluence of the Yangtze River and its longest tributary Han River, boasts about 1,624 square km of wetlands, accounting for 18.9 percent of the city's total area. The bureau said Wuhan's wetlands are home to more than 400 wild animal species and over 400 plant species. A total of 18 cities from seven countries were honored as international wetland cities in 2018. Six Chinese cities were among the list, namely Haikou, Harbin, Changde, Changshu, Dongying and Yinchuan. (Xinhua/Du Huaju)

Aerial photo taken on Oct. 22, 2018 shows autumn scenery of Yuehai wetland in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province will apply for the 2021 Wetland City Accreditation of the Ramsar Convention, the municipal forestry bureau announced. The announcement was made as the city joined the global "Earth Hour" campaign Saturday night by turning off lights on major landmarks. Wuhan, which sits at the confluence of the Yangtze River and its longest tributary Han River, boasts about 1,624 square km of wetlands, accounting for 18.9 percent of the city's total area. The bureau said Wuhan's wetlands are home to more than 400 wild animal species and over 400 plant species. A total of 18 cities from seven countries were honored as international wetland cities in 2018. Six Chinese cities were among the list, namely Haikou, Harbin, Changde, Changshu, Dongying and Yinchuan. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

Photo taken on June 1, 2017 shows the scenery of Mingcui Lake National Wetland Park in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. The city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province will apply for the 2021 Wetland City Accreditation of the Ramsar Convention, the municipal forestry bureau announced. The announcement was made as the city joined the global "Earth Hour" campaign Saturday night by turning off lights on major landmarks. Wuhan, which sits at the confluence of the Yangtze River and its longest tributary Han River, boasts about 1,624 square km of wetlands, accounting for 18.9 percent of the city's total area. The bureau said Wuhan's wetlands are home to more than 400 wild animal species and over 400 plant species. A total of 18 cities from seven countries were honored as international wetland cities in 2018. Six Chinese cities were among the list, namely Haikou, Harbin, Changde, Changshu, Dongying and Yinchuan. (Xinhua/Wang Peng)

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 17, 2016 shows the scenery of a wetland at Zhangdu Lake in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province. The city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province will apply for the 2021 Wetland City Accreditation of the Ramsar Convention, the municipal forestry bureau announced. The announcement was made as the city joined the global "Earth Hour" campaign Saturday night by turning off lights on major landmarks. Wuhan, which sits at the confluence of the Yangtze River and its longest tributary Han River, boasts about 1,624 square km of wetlands, accounting for 18.9 percent of the city's total area. The bureau said Wuhan's wetlands are home to more than 400 wild animal species and over 400 plant species. A total of 18 cities from seven countries were honored as international wetland cities in 2018. Six Chinese cities were among the list, namely Haikou, Harbin, Changde, Changshu, Dongying and Yinchuan. (Xinhua/Ke Hao)

Aerial photo taken on May 30, 2018 shows the Quxi wetland in Haikou City, south China's Hainan Province. The city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province will apply for the 2021 Wetland City Accreditation of the Ramsar Convention, the municipal forestry bureau announced. The announcement was made as the city joined the global "Earth Hour" campaign Saturday night by turning off lights on major landmarks. Wuhan, which sits at the confluence of the Yangtze River and its longest tributary Han River, boasts about 1,624 square km of wetlands, accounting for 18.9 percent of the city's total area. The bureau said Wuhan's wetlands are home to more than 400 wild animal species and over 400 plant species. A total of 18 cities from seven countries were honored as international wetland cities in 2018. Six Chinese cities were among the list, namely Haikou, Harbin, Changde, Changshu, Dongying and Yinchuan. 

Aerial photo taken on Sept. 6, 2018 shows a wetland in sunset in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. The city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province will apply for the 2021 Wetland City Accreditation of the Ramsar Convention, the municipal forestry bureau announced. The announcement was made as the city joined the global "Earth Hour" campaign Saturday night by turning off lights on major landmarks. Wuhan, which sits at the confluence of the Yangtze River and its longest tributary Han River, boasts about 1,624 square km of wetlands, accounting for 18.9 percent of the city's total area. The bureau said Wuhan's wetlands are home to more than 400 wild animal species and over 400 plant species. A total of 18 cities from seven countries were honored as international wetland cities in 2018. Six Chinese cities were among the list, namely Haikou, Harbin, Changde, Changshu, Dongying and Yinchuan. (Xinhua/Wang Zhaobo)

Tourists ramble on a walkway at a wetland in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Oct. 2, 2016. The city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province will apply for the 2021 Wetland City Accreditation of the Ramsar Convention, the municipal forestry bureau announced. The announcement was made as the city joined the global "Earth Hour" campaign Saturday night by turning off lights on major landmarks. Wuhan, which sits at the confluence of the Yangtze River and its longest tributary Han River, boasts about 1,624 square km of wetlands, accounting for 18.9 percent of the city's total area. The bureau said Wuhan's wetlands are home to more than 400 wild animal species and over 400 plant species. A total of 18 cities from seven countries were honored as international wetland cities in 2018. Six Chinese cities were among the list, namely Haikou, Harbin, Changde, Changshu, Dongying and Yinchuan. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)

Photo taken on July 19, 2017 shows a view at the Binjiang wetland in Minzhu Township of Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. The city of Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province will apply for the 2021 Wetland City Accreditation of the Ramsar Convention, the municipal forestry bureau announced. The announcement was made as the city joined the global "Earth Hour" campaign Saturday night by turning off lights on major landmarks. Wuhan, which sits at the confluence of the Yangtze River and its longest tributary Han River, boasts about 1,624 square km of wetlands, accounting for 18.9 percent of the city's total area. The bureau said Wuhan's wetlands are home to more than 400 wild animal species and over 400 plant species. A total of 18 cities from seven countries were honored as international wetland cities in 2018. Six Chinese cities were among the list, namely Haikou, Harbin, Changde, Changshu, Dongying and Yinchuan. (Xinhua/Wang Song)