China's remarkable economic growth and transformation in recent years has been a model for the world,but like all other expanding economics there have been accompanying environmental problems.For more than 5,000 years,however,China has proven that it can cope with problems and remain a vibrant society.China is now turning its attention to the environment through efforts to conserve endangered species,create protected areas,use renewable energy,reforest the margins of deserts,control air pollution,rehabilitate ecosystems,develop ecological agriculture,promote ecotourism,and safeguard its supplies of fresh water.Some of these efforts have had more success than others.The restoration and protection of urban wetlands offers a unique opportunity to meet many of these environmental challenges simultaneously,including the enhancement of the awareness and appreciation of nature and natural processes among urban populations,especially children,upon whom the future of China's environmental movement depends.The United States is facing similar challenges in its urban areas,and some of its recent approaches to dealing with nature in cities may provide useful guidelines.
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Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08904-8551 U.S.A;
