By Xu Congjun

In the past few days, Fei Changzhong, an environmental protection volunteer, and members of ‘silver-haired river protectors’ team, have been busy protecting, cleaning and patrolling the Yangtze River.

‘As long as everyone honors the commitment to the Yangtze River, our mother river can become more beautiful.’ Fei Changzhong, whose home is in Donggang Community, Yongxing Subdistrict, Chongchuan District, has taken concrete actions to uphold the commitment to protecting the ecology of the Yangtze River.

More than 30 years ago, Fei was a fisherman along the Yangtze River in Nantong. 10 years ago, Nantong started ecological restoration work along the Yangtze River. Fei Changzhong took the lead in retiring from fishing and going ashore. He became a Yangtze River environmental protection volunteer, transforming from a fisherman into a river protector.

In early 2022, he initiated the establishment of the 'Silver-haired Yangtze River protectors', a public-interest volunteer team made up primarily of former fishermen who had left the river under the fishing ban. What began as the volunteer efforts of a single individual has grown into a dedicated team committed to public service. Today, the team patrols, cleans, and protects more than 10 kilometers of the Yangtze River, devoting themselves to safeguarding the crystal-clear waters at the river's estuary.

【背景阅读】

“银发护江”公益团队

从捕鱼人变护江人

连日来，环保志愿者费长中和“银发护江”团队成员在长江水域忙着护江、清江、巡江。

“只要每个人都信守对长江的承诺，我们的母亲河就能变得更美丽。”家住崇川区永兴街道东港社区的费长中，身体力行坚守保护长江生态的承诺。

30多年前，老费是南通沿江的渔民，10年前，南通全面启动长江沿线的生态修复工作，费长中带头退渔上岸后，成为一名长江环保志愿者，从捕鱼人变成了护江人。

2022年初，他发起成立了以退捕渔民为主体的“银发护江”公益团队。从一个人的志愿行动，发展成一个团队的公益之路。如今，他们在十多公里的长江水域护江、清江、巡江，倾心守护万里长江入海口一江碧水。