In October, Hongtong Fenhe River National Wetland Park in Shanxi province comes alive with crowds of visitors and diverse bird species, symbolizing the river's renewed ecological vitality and commitment to green development.

The Hongtong Fenhe River Wetland, Shanxi's first nationally recognized wetland, is a key component of an almost finished ecological management project under the "Clear Water Flowing into the Yellow River" initiative. This project aims to connect the upstream Hongtong Fenhe River National Wetland Park with the downstream Wucun Fenhe River Wetland, forming a continuous ecological corridor.

As of July 13, all 285 projects under the "Clear Water Flowing into the Yellow River" ecological protection initiative have started, with 202 completed, achieving a completion rate of 70.9 percent.

The Fenhe River, the second-largest tributary of the Yellow River, is the largest in Shanxi. Since the late 1980s, excessive development has caused interruptions in its flow and severe water pollution.

In March 2022, the "Shanxi Province Fenhe River Protection Regulations" were enacted, establishing clear guidelines for planning, water resource management, pollution prevention, and ecological restoration. This marked a decisive step towards protecting and restoring the river's ecosystem.

In 2023, Shanxi launched the "Clear Water Flowing into the Yellow River" ecological protection initiative, which aims to implement 285 projects over three years. This initiative integrates management of water resources, the environment, and ecology, strengthening the critical ecological barrier in the middle reaches of the Yellow River.

Meanwhile, the province has addressed issues such as groundwater over-extraction, coal mine remediation, water source replacement, and ecological replenishment. In May 2023, Jinci Temple Spring, dry for 30 years, began flowing again, marking ongoing improvements in the Fenhe River basin's water quality and quantity.