Character sketch
Ji Ming, 58 years old, is a staff member of Daming Lake Scenic Area, the first spring in the world. Wearing a baseball cap and a lifebelt around his waist, Ji Ming stepped into the boat with a fishing net in hand. The boat was slowly driving on the lake, and Ji Ming stood on the bow, carefully salvaging the floating objects on the lake.
Lake patrol.
On the afternoon of February 21, the spring breeze by the Daming Lake obviously had a warm feeling. A group of circling birds danced, played and competed for food on the lake, which contrasted with the sparkling lake. They are undoubtedly the protagonists of today, just look at the “long guns and short cannons” on the shore to see at a glance. Tourists brought their own equipment and seized the “C position” of the shooting.
“Ho! This bird is so big! What’s it called?”
“It’s said on the Internet, it’s called the Siberian Herring Gull!”
At this time, Ji Ming, who had just cleaned up the water plants from the lake, also joined the discussion group. Seeing the beauty of the sky and water and the birds flying in front of him, Ji Ming was overjoyed.
Ji Ming cleans up floating objects on the water.
How the lotus and fish coexist
“Herring Gull is an ‘old acquaintance’ of Daming Lake! It’s been here every year for the past few years, and this year is the most!” Ji Ming couldn’t hide his pride when talking about the increasing number of migratory birds year after year. This pride stems from his work.
Ji Ming, 58, is a staff member of the Daming Lake Scenic Area, the first spring in the world. He is mainly responsible for the protection of the ecological environment of the lake. In addition to cleaning up water surface garbage and aquatic plants, they also shoulder another important task: building a water ecosystem. And this is the main reason for Herring Gull’s visit.
A complete set of water ecosystems often inhabit various organisms, and they have an interdependent symbiotic relationship. On the bottom of Daming Lake, a variety of plants, fish and microorganisms… There is a complete food chain between them, sharing this habitat for many years.
As the saying goes: “Lotus in dead water, fish in living water.” The water of Daming Lake is formed by the confluence of many springs in Jinan. Ji Ming is one of the witnesses of how this living water keeps lotus flowers and fish so attractive.
In the 1980s, Ji Ming just came to Daming Lake Scenic Spot for work. At that time, he was still a conductor. He followed the old master and went to night school for tutoring and reading. Ji Ming spent a few years growing into a professional garden. Technical staff. At that time, the lotus planting scale and varieties in Daming Lake were far less than they are now. Since 2008, Daming Lake has expanded the lotus planting area and carried out a series of renovations to the planting area. They fill in soil to lower the water level in the lotus field and ensure that the sun can reach the bottom of the lake; they install enclosures outside the lotus field to prevent cruise ships from breaking in… The lotus has a suitable growing environment, and gradually has its current scale.
From a dry lotus leaf withered and rotten and turned into fertilizer, the first bud that emerges around Qingming in the coming year, and then to the emerald green that fills the lake in midsummer. Throughout the year, Ji Ming and his colleagues are involved in maintaining the ecological balance of the waters through human intervention at each growth stage.
Herring gulls swept across the lake.
Twenty-four solar terms can do anything
Shocked, all things revive. Ji Ming and his colleagues have a special job: driving fish. “There are a small number of fish in the lake that will eat the tender shoots of lotus root, such as grass carp, we have to expel them.” “The masters said that 5 catties of large grass carp can eat 5 catties of food a day.” The workers To catch up with the planting of precursor fish, only keep the fish that can live in harmony with the lotus. To drive fish is not to kill.
They set up obstacles in the lotus fields, opened a small opening in the fence, and slowly drove the grass carp into the big lake.
Clear and bright, the water temperature rises. This is the best time for lotus planting. Ji Ming and his colleagues walked into the lake in gel coats, slowly sinking into the mud with every step they took. “Slightly shake the legs and pull out the feet to continue working.” They held an auxiliary stick and slanted the end with lotus buds into the mud.
The summer solstice is hot. The red “Minghu Red Lotus” and the white “Blue Lotus” compete to open. The water plants in the lake grow too fast and the density is too high. In order to maintain a transparent underwater growth environment, Ji Ming and his colleagues also went into the water to weed. “Someone suggested that using herbicides would save trouble. But no! The fish will be dead. It is better to spend time and protect the underwater ecology.” Weeding has become their main task during the three months of summer each year. Workers in gel coats can often be seen walking among lotus leaves under the scorching sun, leaning over and picking up a handful of water plants.
“The twenty-four solar terms set by our ancestors are on track! You know what to do and when!” Ji Ming fastened the life belt around his waist, held a fishing net, and strode across Get on the boat.
Herring Gulls visit, attracting many photography enthusiasts.
Reluctant to give up this “Yiwanzishui”
“Look at the ‘Old Waiter’, don’t look at it motionless, it’s looking for food!” Following the direction Ji Ming pointed, there was a big bird standing on the wooden stake. Staring straight in one direction. Suddenly, it was on target and plunged into the water with a dive. In the next second, a small fish swinging back and forth was already in its sharp mouth.
Seeing the tourists who “released” into the lake, Ji Ming quickly stepped forward to stop it. “Animals like the Brazilian tortoise are invasive species, and they eat everything!” Many tourists don’t know the reason, and Ji Ming always wants to explain it to them.
This is the joy of Ji Ming’s work, protecting the purity and tranquility of the waters, and feeling the agility of all kinds of creatures. Because of this, whenever he hears suggestions that the lake may be polluted, or sees uncivilized behavior that damages the ecology, he always stands up as if he were protecting his family.
Growing up by Daming Lake since childhood, Ji Ming said that the current Daming Lake is “the best state” in the past few decades. Now, he has been working in the scenic spot for 40 years and is about to retire in two years. He passed on his knowledge and skills to young people, and at the same time he was a little reluctant: “I have a deep affection for this Wanzishui!”
Original title: Who is the silver gull coming for?
Instructor on duty: Gao Gao
