He now patrols an area with a perimeter of 70 kilometers in the reserve every week to report and prevent activities like trash dumping, illegal logging and sand mining.

Over the years, he has stood witness to the reserve's improving environment.

"The Heihe River's water level has risen from below 40 centimeters decades ago to about 2 meters now," he said. "Willow trees and grasses have been planted along the river banks, and more migratory birds are coming to this area."

According to Zhou Zhanbin, director of the county's wetland park administration office, to date, more than 460 hectares of vegetation have been restored in the part of the nature reserve in Gaotai county.

Zhou said that last year, more than 56,000 birds were recorded in the reserve, which is becoming an increasingly important wintering site for those that are migrating, as well as a breeding site for species under state protection such as swans, relict gulls and white spoonbills.

The reserve has also set up 10 monitoring stations to study the distribution and migration of the birds, Zhou added.

With more birds calling the reserve their home, Wang has become their devoted guardian. Every time he finds an injured or sick bird, he escorts it to a nearby rescue station via rowboat.

"The environment has improved, the air isn't so dry, and I get to see different types of birds every day. I can't bring myself to tear my eyes away from the beautiful scenery before me for even a second," he said.

Xinhua