Visitors to Changzhi county are invariably taken to Taihang Wetland Park, located in the city's western suburbs.

The 40 sq km area is the only wetland in Shanxi Province. It is blessed, and cursed, by coal. While the province relies heavily on coal production for its economic growth, mining, transporting and burning the coal have caused safety problems and environmental woes.

But the wetland park, opened in May this year, is "the city's lung". On weekends, residents saunter through the park watching birds, hiking and sailing.

Two years ago, however, the area was a wild swamp, even though it was fed by water from Zhangze Lake.

No one cared about it. People went about their own business, digging for sand, fishing, catching birds or even planting crops.

Hao Cailan, 27, and residents from nearby Zhangzu village made a living from fishing there and in the lake. She said she could make about 5,000 yuan ($680) a year.

Taihang Wetland Park, occupying 757 hectares, is now the pride of the city and the man behind the transformation is Gao Chongrong, the park's president and principal investor.

"I want to tell everyone Shanxi is a wonderful place," said the 62-year-old.

Gao aroused skepticism two years ago when he started work on a private program at the wild swamp.

For more than a decade, Gao was known as a successful entrepreneur who headed a software company, based in Shanghai.

The software developed at his company helped manage coalmine production. Gao also owned a private coal mine with an output of more than 150,000 tons. He closed the mine because of the park program.

"Many people wondered what my real intentions were when they heard of my program", Gao said.

"I replied with a single sentence: 'Changzhi is my hometown'. I want to do something for the people here," he said.

He not only took control of the cleaning and construction work, but also labored alongside his employees.

"I work here every day, sometimes from 6 am to 9 pm," Gao said, as he moved bricks at a new construction site.

He said he was inspired after visiting Xixi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province.

He thought of the wild swamp in his home city of Changzhi. The acreage is four times that of the West Lake in Hangzhou.

Moreover, he wanted to do something for local people, partly by employing more than 100 staff.

Gao and his staff spent six months getting rid of the trash.

Hao Cailan is now an attendant at the park's teahouse. "I make over 6,000 yuan a year and the job is more stable and safer than fishing."

Gao believes, however, that there is further potential in wetland development. He is planning more activities in the park.

"Water sports will be just one choice. Why not have a dragon boat race between local villages during the Dragon Boat Festival next year?" Gao said.

(China Daily November 29, 2007)