In the heart of the city, a place to feel nature
Print Edition
THERE is certainly no shortage of small, well-maintained parks in Shanghai, but it’s hard to find one that isn’t too crowded but easy to reach and has a good mix of wildlife.
One such gem is located right behind the parking lot diagonally across gate 2 of Shanghai Science and Technology Museum. The wetland known as the SCTM little pond is a small plot of forgotten land that has developed its own ecosystem with about 180 species of plants and animals.
Institutions and volunteer organizations have used this little pond as science education base for several years now, and many nature lovers take their telescopes and cameras to observe the wildlife here in their free time.
Yu Haiqiong, co-founder and program director of Small Way Nature Education Center, recently explained how the wetland came to be as he took me on a tour. The center hosts nature education courses for students between age 6 and 12, and the SCTM little pond is one of their regular destinations for different courses, including a bird-watching tours and a “feel the nature” courses, both designed for families.
“This piece of land was used to stack building materials when the SCTM was under construction. When it was completed, people forgot about it, and 10 years later, the wetland has formed its own natural environment,” Yu said.
Because of its downtown location and due to its diversity, the wetland is a great place to observe wildlife in Shanghai. We spotted common moorhens with their black-and-partial-white plumage and red frontal shield preening in the water, and common blackbirds perched on tree branches.
There are actually two ponds behind the parking lot — the one to the south is bigger, while the one to the north is mostly covered by reed. The small forest by the pond has no man-made paths, and the branches of palm trees could hit you in the face when you take a walk.
“If you wouldn’t hear the sound of the construction sites around this place, you wouldn’t feel like standing in a city, but a natural wood. It’s a serene and natural place,” said Yan Jingjing of Shanghai Wildlife Conservation Station.
The place has maintained a good condition over the years and the water in the pond is unpolluted, mostly because many people are unware of that this wetland exists, Yu said. In the past, some restaurant owners dumped waste in the pond, but they were soon banned from doing so by the management team.
“The rich diversity of plant and animal species in this wetland is different from those you see in city parks. There are many ‘wild’ things living here that grow on their own,” Yan said.
This year, fleabanes — small, white daisies with high soil tolerance — are growing across the wetland.
There are more than 50 plant species, 20 bird species, three frog species, four fish species and two mammal species. Yan recalled finding a small hedgehog one evening during an education tour.
In addition to common moorhens and common blackbirds, there are also little egrets, little grebes, spotted doves, light-vented bulbul and black-crowned night herons.
Sometimes people fish in the pond, but the action is not encouraged. Mosquitofish is one of the species swimming in the pond, a tiny, large-eyed fish native to the south of the United States and the Gulf Coast in the northeastern parts of Mexico. It was introduced to Shanghai in 1920s to eliminate mosquito larvae in order to prevent the spread of malaria and yellow fever. The fish can adapt to harsh conditions like low oxygen concentration, high salt concentration and high temperature.
The frog species found in the wetland are Chinese large toad, Eastern golden frog and dark-spotted frog.
In summer, the little pond is an ideal place to observe insects like mantis, cricket, grasshopper and caterpillars. Dragonflies and damselflies are floating on the pond. Both are predatory and eat other insects. The large amount of insects like grubs and grasshoppers are a rich food source for birds as well.
The best time to observe insects are on summer nights. Yet do watch out for the snakes in the pond, and mind your steps because there’s no railing around. Don’t leave children unattended as they could fall into the water. Flashlights and anti-insect sprays or creams are must-haves.
Walking past the smaller pond on the right side, there is a camphor tree isle. Two rows of tall trees here have create an evergreen shade where you can take a short walk over dry leaves. Sometimes you can even see black fungus growing above the tree branches.
The Century Plaza property management now oversees the maintenance and desilting of this little pond, a task carried out by volunteers in the past.
“People who know about this little pond are welcome to visit; it’s important not to disturb and damage the natural environment,” Yan said.
If you are taking metro line 2, arrive at Shanghai Science and Technology Museum station and take exits 7 or 8, then walk around the museum to reach gate 2. Cross Dingxiang Road to get to the parking lot by the intersections of Dingxiang Road and Jinkang Road. The wetland is located right behind.
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