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Protecting the Yangtze River As the third longest river in the world, the health of the Yangtze River has raised concern both in China and abroad. Rapid development and an increase in population have meant that the amount of water taken from the river is rising, and the waste being put back into the river has been increasing. This is not good news for the people who rely on the Yangtze River for water. Nor is it good news for the wide range of fish and wildlife that live in or along the river. Many people have recognized the importance of protecting the Yangtze River, and organizations and projects have been set up to deal with the problem. The Green River organization, for example, educates people on the importance of protecting this great river. It also watches the river and stops the illegal hunting of animals, which has put the wild animal population in danger. Two special government projects are also under way. The first project, a water and soil conservation project, was set up in 1989. This project resulted in farmers replacing their crops with trees or grass. It has already been a success because it has helped improve the local environment and the land around the river. The second project includes nature reserves for white-flag dolphins, one of the most rarest animals in the world. The number of white-flag dolphins in China has dropped because of pollution in the Yangtze River. The white-flag dolphin was last seen several years ago, though scientists are still hopeful that the animal has survived. We still have a long way to go to solve all the problems in regard to the Yangtze River. However, people have finally realized that it is their responsibility to protect this great river. Because of this, the situation on the Yangtze River is improving. The efforts of the Chinese government and the people to protect this much-loved river will be appreciated for years to come. 保护长江 作为世界长度第三的河流，长江的环境问题已经引起了国内外的关注。 快速的发展和人口的增长意味着对水资源的需求正在增长。 扔回河里的废弃物也在日益增加。 这对依赖长江用水的人来说是个坏消息。 对生活在江中或岸边的大量鱼类和野生生物来说也不是个好消息。 许多人已经认识到了保护长江的重要性，并且建立了很多组织和工程来处理这一问题。 比如，绿河组织，教育人们注意到保护这条伟大河流的重要性。 该组织还监视长江，阻止非法捕捞。非法捕捞已经威胁到野生动物的数量。 两个政府特别工程也正在进行着。第一个工程是1989年开始的水土保持工程。 该工程是让农民退耕还林、还草。 该工程已经取得了成果，因为它帮助改善了当地环境和河流周边的土地。 第二个工程包括建立白鳍豚自然保护区，白鳍豚是世界稀有物种之一。 中国白鳍豚数量的减少是因为长江的污染问题。 最后看到白鳍豚是在若干年前，尽管如此，科学家们仍然希望它们还存活着。 要解决有关长江的所有问题，我们还有很长的一段路要走。 然后，人们终于意识到了保护这条伟大河流是他们的责任。 正因如此，长江的环境状况正在改善。 中国政府和人民为了保护这条受人爱戴的河流所做的努力将会永远被铭记。 |
