To mark this year’s Earth Day, Shanghai Disney Resort convened its annual nature conservation forum on Wednesday, bringing together environmental researchers, explorers, and young advocates to highlight progress in urban ecological restoration and boost public awareness of sustainable coexistence with nature.
A centerpiece of this year’s Earth Day celebration was the launch of a new research report focused on the ecological performance of the resort’s Wishing Star Park, titled *Creating an Urban Wetland Ecosystem: A Case Study of Shanghai Disney Resort’s Wishing Star Park*. The report offers a comprehensive, data-backed look at how intentional eco-friendly planning, construction, and long-term operational management have transformed an urban green space into a thriving habitat that supports rich biodiversity.
Drawing on 11 consecutive years of bird observation data collected since the project launched in 2015, the research documents clear ecological gains across the park’s wetland system. As of March 2026, official surveys have recorded more than 133 distinct bird species and over 62,000 individual birds within the park’s boundaries. Of these tracked populations, roughly 90 percent have maintained stable population sizes or recorded measurable growth over the study period, confirming the success of the resort’s long-term conservation strategy.
The annual conservation forum featured keynote talks from leading global environmental researchers and explorers. Among the speakers was Asha de Vos, a National Geographic explorer and marine biologist, who shared key insights from her ongoing work studying blue whales and sperm whales. De Vos’s research has uncovered unexpected complexity in the communication systems and social structures of these iconic marine mammals, shedding new light on the cognitive and social lives of ocean-dwelling megafauna.
Another featured speaker, National Geographic explorer Huang Qiaowen, presented findings from her 10-year study of human-wildlife coexistence. Huang emphasized the outsized ecological role of leopards as an “umbrella species,” explaining that targeted conservation efforts to protect these top predators generate cascading benefits that strengthen the health and resilience of entire regional ecosystems.
Beyond academic and expert discussions, this year’s Earth Day celebration prioritized engaging younger generations in environmental action. Student participants from the second iteration of the Youth Environmental Inspiration Program took part in the event, showcasing their original environmental projects selected from more than 100 nationwide submissions. The student projects covered a wide range of topics, from innovative energy-saving designs to hands-on local environmental observation initiatives. The event also included a public eco-market featuring more than 30 interactive booths designed to connect attendees with practical sustainable living practices.