Unofficial River Chief and Her Fifteen Years on River Patrol after Retirement

GUIYANG,China,July 6,2023 -- A news report byHuanqiu.com:

Guizhou is one of the first National Pilot Zones for Eco-Environmental Conservation. On June 18,Zhou Yuqing once again led her team to patrol the Yachi River in Guizhou and deliver public lectures on eco-conservation. "I'm not merely picking litters," said Zhou who,though in her seventies,moves like a young man,"I'm telling the public that we should do our part to take care of eco-environment,to make our mountains greener and our waters clearer."

Zhou Yuqing,a retired police officer from Wangwu Prison in Guizhou Province,embarked on her journey as an environmental protection volunteer at an eco-conservation story-telling meeting in 2008. She didn't expect she'd work in this position for a decade and have her team.

"At first,my intention was to use my experiences to help the left-behind old people. However,I didn't expect more and more people joining our cause gradually,turning our neighborhood into a unified squad of environmental volunteers."

Zhou's squad,known as the "Dream & Love Community of Huaxi District",was founded in 2014. As the chairlady,she organizes a group of retired and elderly volunteers to deliver lectures on environmental protection and engage in voluntary campaigns such as river patrol,beach cleaning and refuse classification.

"One of the primary responsibilities of our community is river patrol," said Zhou,"but we faced some challenges at the beginning." She soon realized it was a sophisticated job and needed expertise. "From waste disposal to registration and reporting,it calls for classification skills." She added. In this career,Zhou met many non-profit environmental protection organizations and learned more from them,making her a professional river chief.

A view of Aha Lake National Wetland Park. (Courtesy of Guiyang Municipal Forestry Bureau)

"I learned many things,such as water environment,the river chief system,the intricacies of water systems in Guiyang,the responsibilities and principles of unofficial river chiefs in Gui'an,river patrol tools,environmental protection promotion,and the follow-up mechanism for environmental issues. The instructors showed us how to patrol a river,how to use water sampler and river patrol tools,and how to check water quality." said Zhou. Nothing could stop her and her teamfrom monthly patrolling Huaxi,Xiaoche and Nanming rivers. Zhou added,"We go where litters are found."

During their patrols,they meticulously record the nearby plant discharge volume and straw-burning activities,and monitor alien aquatic species. Identified environmental risks will be registered and reported to local authorities. To date,the community has patrolled over 100 rivers/lakes throughout the Province,organized over 200 water protection events,and collected about 1,000 kilograms of litters.

"We go where litters are found,and we know how to deal with littering." Zhou said. Stopping littering and promoting a green mindset are integral parts of environmental protection efforts. Zhou,having obtained the social worker certificate,is always willing to share what she learned to the squad. During their voluntary services or tours,the squad members,when noticing wrongdoings,would properly stop them in an acceptable manner.

"Environmental protection is like a relay." Zhou emphasized. Since 2020,Zhou and her squad have organized 30 "eco-conservation storytelling meetings" and "photo exhibition on river/lake eco-environmental conservation in Guizhou",and brought green knowledge and concepts to five kindergartens,20 primary and middle schools and five communities. The squad,somehow unknown to the public,has grown from 20 to 180 registered members,and spent over 13,000 hours on voluntary environmental protection efforts.

In June 2022,Zhou Yuqing was honored one of the "A Hundred Excellent Eco-environment Volunteers" by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment. She also received the title of "2022-2023 Excellent Nongovernmental River Chief of Gui'an,Guiyang" in this April. "I'm proud to see the river becoming more beautiful," expressed Zhou,"I won't stop working on environmental protection as long as I can walk on my feet."