Partner Profile - Wuhu Ecology Center

Name: Wuhu Ecology Center

Director: Tian Qian

Region: Southern Anhui Province

Mission: To protect the natural environment of the southern Anhui and western Zhejiang regions by providing public environmental education around environment and health issues.

Programs/Strategies: Wuhu Ecology Center (WEC) was established in October 2008 to combat southern Anhui's overall lack of environmental awareness and weak environmental enforcement. An active member of the China Waste Information Network and the China Environmental Paper Network, WEC directs much of its work toward improving local quality of life by solving municipal waste and garbage pollution problems. In 2011 it began focusing its work on paper industry pollution with the support of the Siemmenpuu Foundation, conducting surveys on pollution in the Qingyi River, a tributary of the Yellow River, and producing booklets on the river's biodiversity, to educate local residents. Because Anhui does not have a formal platform for the public to address water pollution problems, WEC will focus on increasing public awareness and engagement to improve water quality in the region, as well as developing a southern Anhui youth environmental network to support the cause.

Current Projects: Wuhu Ecology Center's new water quality program concentrates on paper making plants in the Southern Anhui Region. After identifying twenty plants to target, the organization conducted basic investigations of plants' activities, and submitted concerns raised during the research to the local Environmental Protection Bureau and the companies. WEC plans to continue with these efforts by producing a newsletter to inform the public of paper industry pollution, hold workshops and walking tours for local residents, and train volunteers to assist with their work.

Accomplishments: Wuhu Ecology Center has organized a number of outreach events to educate residents about environmental issues facing their community. In the spring of 2011, WEC held several sessions of the Anhui Youth Environment Camp, and they held a "water walk" on Earth Day. WEC has invited environmental experts to counsel community members on local environment challenges, and it holds an annual meeting as part of the South Anhui Environmental Network.