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Greenriver is the shortened name of Sichuan Greenriver Environmental Protection Promotion Association. Established in 1995, Greenriver is an environmental protection NGO approved by Sichuan Provincial Environmental Protection Bureau and registered in Sichuan Civil Administration Office.

The goals of Greenriver are: to promote the environmental protection of the headwaters of rivers, to foster public environmental awareness and the conservation ethic, to encourage citizen participation, and to ensure environmentally sustainable economic and social development of the headwaters area. The main objectives of Greenriver are: to operate environmental protection stations in the source and upper parts of the Yangtze River, to organize scientists and invite environmental protection groups at home and abroad to conduct environmental-related research in the above areas; to offer workable solutions and implementation plans; to publish literature and audio-visual media about environmental protection; to promote collective involvement in ecological protection and to promote cultural exchanges between environmental organizations at home and abroad.

 Major achievements 

Focused Research on Ecological Status of Yangtze River Headwaters (1996) It is the first time in China to organize scientists and journalists to do field survey on ecological status in Yangtze River headwaters. We made the first comprehensive report on ecological issues of Yangtze River headwaters, and launched non-governmental environmental protection on Yangtze River headwaters and Hohxil.

Established and Operated Suonandajie Natural Protection Station (1997-2000) Helped by over 40 volunteers, after four years efforts, Greenriver constructed the first NGO’s natural protection station, Suonandajie Natural Protection Station, which located in Hohxil with the elevation of 4,500 meters, with the funding from the sales of Soul of Yangtze River and Source of Yangtze River written by Yang Xin.

Proposed and Constructed “Source of Yangtze” Monument (1999) Proposed and constructed “Source of Yangtze” Monument with epigraph by Jiang Zemin to promote the awareness of Chinese government on ecological protection in the source of Yangtze River.

Environmental Protection Education to Youths in China (1996-2005) In last ten years, Yang Xin and many volunteers gave over 100 lectures on environmental protection in the source of Yangtze River in more than ten cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Wuhan and Hongkong. The lectures affected more and more youths to become volunteers for environmental protection.

Population Survey on Tibetan Antelope (2001-2004) During 4 years, over 100 volunteers participated in the survey project of Tibetan Antelope. They collected more than 2000 sets of data, completed the wildlife research report, and proposed various suggestions to enhance the protection of wildlife. Most of the suggestions were adopted by government and construction enterprises of Qinghai-Tibet Railroad. It has been a successful case of influence on decision maker of large construction projects by Chinese environmental protection NGO.

Environmental Protection Promotion Campaign along Qinghai-Tibet Highway (2001-2004) Volunteers of Greenriver promoted the knowledge of environmental protection in plateau to over 20 thousand tourists in exhibition hall of Suonandajie Natural Protection Station during four years. At the same time, we also promoted environmental protection to herdsmen and workers of Qinghai-Tibet Railroad and Qinghai-Tibet Highway, and helped the local elementary school to build their own environmental protection organization, “the First Little Guard of Yangtze”.

Research on Garbage along Qinghai-Tibet Highway (2003) Greenriver conducted research on garbage and pollution along Qinghai-Tibet Highway, finished the relevant research report and proposed the feasible solution which was adopted by local government.

Anthropological Research on Yangtze River Source (2003) Greenriver provided evidence for policy making on sustainable development, by conducting anthropological research in Yangtze River Source, and systematically summarizing the relationship between local residence and nature

Traffic Light for Tibetan Antelope (2004) Since the construction of Qinghai-Tibet Railroad and Qinghai-Tibet Highway affected the migration of Tibetan Antelope, volunteers set the traffic light to guide the vehicles to pass the space of migration way of Tibetan Antelope. In 2004, we helped over 2000 Tibetan antelopes to pass the Qinghai-Tibet Highway.

Monitor on Glacier Receding of Yangtze River Source (2005--2009) Due to greenhouse effects, glacier of Yangtze River source continues to recede. Since 2005, Greenriver started to cooperate with a few scientists to monitor and record the glacier of Yangtze River source, record the speed of glacier receding to promote the awareness of government, public and international society on globe warming effect.

The Environmental Protection Promotion Campaign on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway（2006） Since July 2006, when the Qinghai-Tibet Railway began carrying passengers, many tourists have poured into the Tibetan Region. This is expected to place great pressure on the vulnerable ecological environment. Every tourist is portrayed as a potential source of pollution. However, every person may also be a potential supporter of environmental protection. As an environmental protection organization, Greenriver has recruited many volunteers to promote an awareness of environmental educational activities along the Qinghai-Tibet railroad encouraging tourists and travelers to “Be a passenger, be a green propagandist!” The main goal of the campaign is to reduce the environmental pressure on this area to the lowest degree possible, and to encourage the general public to do the same.

Skills Training for Volunteers in Post-earthquake Reconstructions (2008) On 12th May, 2008, an 8.0 earthquake hit Wenchuan county of Sichuan, which killed nearly a hundred thousand people. The disaster-affected area is one of the most biological and cultural diverse areas in China, and most of the wild pandas are here. The work of ecological and cultural protection is very difficult. Greenriver recruited volunteers with organizational capacity and professional skills for this project. They received training in relevant subjects and field practice together to improve their professional knowledge and practical working ability. These volunteers will be the key members of Greenriver’s post-quake reconstruction project.

Glaciers Rescuing Movement (2010) Based on the long term survey of the glacier in the source of Yangtze River, Greenriver initiated a large scale project named “Glaciers Rescuing Movement 2010”, which calling for more attention to the glaciers’ retreating along Yangtze River, caring about the native people living around the glaciers and the biodiversity of the high mountain. The project of “Glaciers Rescuing Movement 2010” is composed of series sub-projects, which includes “Witnessing the Disappearance of Glaciers (Source of Yangtze River)”, “The Echo of the Sacred Mountain and Lake (Mt. Que’er)”, “Youth Addressing Climate Change to Protect Tomorrow’s Environment (Mt. Xuebaoding)”, “Snow Mountain-World Expo Concert” and “United Nations Climate Change Conference Cancun 2010”.

Yangtze River Headwaters Ecological Protection Program—the construction of Yangtze River Headwaters Ecological Conservation Station (2011-2012) As urbanization has advanced rapidly in China, a large amount of commodities with non-degradable packing have taken over, and even the remote Yangtze River headwaters district is inundated with trash. Trash is threatening grassland ecosystems and the safety of Yangtze River headwaters, and that is the reason for Greenriver to start the project of “Yangtze River Headwaters Ecological Protection Program”.

The main construction work of Yangtze River Headwaters Ecological Conservation Station has been finished by the end of 2011. The station has come into service in July, 2012. Greenriver will effectively protect the natural environment of Yangtze River headwaters and set a model of waste disposal by recruiting volunteers and implementing a series of programs in cooperation with the local government.

GEF/SGP/UNDP: Project on Reduction of POPs at the Source of Yangtze River and Development of Alternative Livelihood to Achieve Sustainable Grassland Management (2011-2013) Supervised by UNDP and implemented by Greenriver, the Project on Reduction of POPs at the Source of Yangtze River and Development of Alternative Livelihood to Achieve Sustainable Grassland Management lasts for two years. Based on the Yangtze River Ecological Environmental Conservation Station, the project provides the environmental education to the local residents, includes the harms of POPs, the methods of waste sorting, the correct disposal to avoid burning the waste, etc. to eliminate the waste pollution to the source of Yangtze River. Meanwhile, the project explored the possibilities of the local eco-tourism developing, and helped the local women to design and produce the handicrafts. All the efforts of developing alternative livelihood are to reduce the dependence on stock raising and deterioration of grassland, thus a sustainable grasslands management can be achieved. Furthermore, the station is an eco-friendly building constructed with energy-saving materials and using solar power system, the sewage treatment system, etc, which gives the demonstration to the local community of adaptation and mitigation to the climate change.

 Publications  The Soul of the Yangtze River, published in 1997. Ten Years Journey in Hohxil--Stories of Volunteer, published in 2005. Albums: The Source of the Yangtze, published in 2000. The Yangtze of China, which consists of three books, The Birthplace of the River, the Pulse of the Jinshajiang, Great River flowing east, with over 900 pictures and 150,000 words in total, published in 2006.

Contact Information Website: http://www.green-river.org Address: Room 11, Unit 4, No.3, Biyun road, Wuhou district, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, China 610041 Email: office@green-river.org