Stewards of nature

For the past 40 years, locals in Yangxian have worked hard to protect the crested ibis while also improving the quality of life for the species.

Hughes said during the China Chat Show group discussion on the last day of the trip: "Local people are the stewards. They are the people who are looking after biodiversity. So, it has to be economically viable for them."

In the 1980s, to protect the crested ibis, the Yangxian government restricted the use of pesticides by farmers. Many of them questioned this regulation, asking how they could kill insects without using pesticides.

At the time, no one thought that the regulation presented farmers with an opportunity.

The farmers switched to using trap lights to kill insects, leading to the production of organic agricultural products. Yangxian now has a crested ibis organic products brand valued at more than 9.3 billion yuan (about $1.44 billion).

Hua Ying is one of the Yangxian residents to benefit from protection of the ibis.

In 2001, two ibises nested less than 10 meters from Hua's house. "Every morning, when the ibises tweet, we know that it's time to send the kids to school. When I do farm work in the field, the birds are often next to me. Gradually, my affection for the ibis grew," he said.

A few years ago, Hua transformed his front yard into a sanctuary for crested ibises, and he now runs a homestay for bird enthusiasts and photographers.

Townshend said: "He has created a pond with food for the crested ibises, and he has trees close by where they make their nests. People can stay with him and have amazing views of the birds."

Apart from sleeping well, tourists also eat well, enjoying products such as locally made honey, black rice tea and porridge.

Townshend said he admired Hua's accomplishments, adding that they are a great example of how a community can benefit sustainably from policies and practices that benefit the crested ibis and help compensate the community for its role in safeguarding the environment.

"It's something that I think China should be proud of and that more people should hear about," he said.

Hughes said during the China Chat Show discussion that there are many similar untold stories across China in areas where rural communities care about biodiversity.

"There are various community conservation programs nationwide that have provided new hope for various species," she added.