Partner Profile: Green Eyes-China's Environmental Watchdogs

Fang Ming He, Leader of Green Eyes

by Daniela Salaverry

Growing up an in rural Zhejiang Province, Fang Minghe developed a compassion for animals at a young age; as an only child, animals were his playmates. So, during a middle school trip to Guandong, its no surprise that Fang was deeply disturbed after coming across photos of animal poaching. Motivated by the inhumane treatment documented in those photos, Fang was ready to take action, but felt that alone he could only make a limited impact. Upon returning home, he shared his concerns with his classmates, and several students supported his idea to develop a small club committed to animal welfare and environmental protection.

Under the leadership of Fang Minghe, this small club evolved into Green Eyes. Established officially in 2000, the group’s mission is to act as a mechanism for students to observe the real state of the local environment. What began as an informal group that collected newspaper clippings on environmentally-related stories, Green Eyes has grown into a professional and respected NGO with full time staff, 5 offices and hundreds of member volunteers.

Located in Wenzhou, Green Eyes is running an animal rehabilitation clinic, conducting environmental outreach and education programs, as well as providing trainings to local-law enforcement on illegally traded endangered species.

Green Eyes’ strong environmental education and outreach programs are targeted to local middle and high-school students. A team of volunteers give lectures, presentations and organize games with students to increase awareness on environmental conservation. Outside of the class-room, Green Eyes conducts field trips with students during summer camp programs. These trips introduce students to the wonders of nature as well as to local environmental degradation. Unique hands-on experiences, such as releasing rehabilitated animals back into their natural surroundings or investigating water pollution in local factory towns, are coupled with outdoor activities such as camping and hiking.

Green Eyes also works closely with the Alliance of Student Green Groups at the Universities in Wen Zhou. Together, they have established a youth council which acts as a forum for management training, information exchange and resource sharing among the student groups in the Wen Zhou. Green Eyes’ comprehensive website and monthly print-publication keeps members and the general public abreast of their activities and provides additional educational information.

Aside from Environmental education, Green Eyes plays an important role combating the wildlife trade in Wenzhou City. Illegal wildlife-trade has become a major black-market industry in China, where many species are in demand as pets, food and traditional Chinese medicine. Green Eyes works with local law enforcement to target vendors that are illegally selling endangered species by carrying out undercover investigations. Green Eyes volunteers are regularly involved in seizing illegally sold wildlife and documenting sales with hidden video cameras. In doing so, they put themselves at risk; angry business men threaten them and scuffles are not uncommon. Yet, their work continues to be supported by local police. In fact, this year, local law enforcement is relying on Fang Minghe’s expertise in court; he is scheduled to testify against a vendor who was illegally selling snakes and turtles. Green Eyes also gets regular media coverage about illegal wild-life trade, increasing general public awareness and putting pressure on black-market vendors.

Green Eyes not only works with law enforcement, but also works with local government officials from the Bureau of Forestry. With funding support from this bureau, Green Eyes was able to build an animal rehabilitation center and clinic. The clinic is modest, consisting of four cages, with all medical services provided by a self-taught volunteer veterinarian. They advertise within nearby communities that they will take in any injured wild-animals, and often get calls about birds that are caught in illegal nets.

After 6 years of work, Fang still posses the enthusiasm with which he started Green Eyes: “I hope that one day, Green Eyes can be part of a global youth environmental movement. Until then, I hope that Green Eyes will mature into a major NGO for civil society and environmental protection in China.”

For more information in Chinese on Green Eyes, please visit http://www.greeneyeschina.org/