On May 9, 2026, Associate Professor Yuan Donghua and Dr. Ouyang Lihua of the JUFE School of Society and Humanities, supported by the CSC Rural Revitalization Talent Program, participated in a joint field study and academic exchange in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, at the invitation of Professor Huang Guangwei, Dean of Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies of Sophia University. Together with faculty and students from Sophia University, they conducted research on “Wetland Conservation and Regional Sustainable Development”.

    The field study focused on wetland ecological conservation, biodiversity protection, the sustainable use of natural landscape resources, and regional sustainable development. The team selected the Yatsu-higata Nature Observation Center, an important wetland conservation area in Tokyo Bay, and Yoro Keikoku Gorge, a representative ecological landscape area on the Boso Peninsula, as key study sites. Field observations and academic exchanges were conducted around ecological conservation practices, environmental education mechanisms, public participation models, and pathways for transforming ecological value.

    At Yatsu-higata, the team observed wetland birds and the intertidal ecosystem, gaining a systematic understanding of local practices in wetland conservation, urban ecological governance, biodiversity protection, environmental education, and public participation. The participants also exchanged views on wetland protection and regional sustainable development.

     At Yoro Keikoku Gorge, the team focused on local forest vegetation, aquatic environments, gorge landscape resources, and the conservation and sustainable use of ecological assets. The visit provided further insights into Japan’s practices in natural resource conservation, green development, and the transformation of ecological value.

    The field study broadened the international perspective of our faculty members in the areas of ecological civilization and sustainable development, strengthened collaboration between our university and Sophia University in ecological governance, cultural exchange, and academic research, and provided valuable insights for advancing interdisciplinary international cooperation and exploring practical pathways toward harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature.

（Translator: Hong Lumin, Yuan Donghua and Ouyang Lihua; Reviewer: Jiang Guohe）