Young scientists turn villagers into biodiversity guardians

NANCHANG — Each spring and summer, a group of young researchers leads local volunteers on patrol along farmland and riverbanks three times a week in search of invasive snails in a renowned scenic area in Jiangxi province.

The work is muddy, repetitive and physically demanding, a far cry from the urban careers many of these researchers, most born in the 1990s and 2000s, could have pursued after earning postgraduate and doctoral degrees.

Over the past eight years, members of the Linnaeus Laboratory in Wuyuan county have devoted themselves to removing invasive species, rescuing injured wildlife and promoting environmental awareness. Their efforts have helped protect local biodiversity while inspiring greater public participation in ecological conservation through nature education.

Often dubbed "China's most beautiful village", Wuyuan is famed for its traditional Huizhou-style (Huizhou is the old name for an area including Anhui province) houses with white walls and black tiles, as well as vast fields of rapeseed flowers that attract tourists every spring.

Nestled in a quiet corner of the county seat, the Linnaeus Laboratory is an understated yet magical space. Named after Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus, it houses microscopes for curious children, petri dishes nurturing fern spores and temporary shelters for rescued wildlife.

Founded in 2018 by botanist Liu Zhilong and partners from several leading Chinese universities, the laboratory reflects a deliberate choice by a group of young scholars to build their careers in rural Jiangxi rather than in major cities.

"At first, villagers thought we were strange people doing strange things. But later, they came to understand exactly what we're trying to achieve," Liu says.

One of the team's annual challenges is combating golden apple snails, an invasive species that threatens crops and aquatic ecosystems.

Team member Zhou Xinlong, who can identify more than 6,000 plant species, teaches residents how to trap snail eggs by placing bamboo slips in shallow-water silt. "We put bamboo strips into the mud in the morning, then return later to collect the snails and remove the eggs," Zhou says.

The fieldwork can be exhausting and occasionally misunderstood.

Shen Xianhui, who holds a PhD in ecology, recalls heading out by boat at 1 am to study snail activity, only to be mistaken for a fish thief by vigilant villagers.

Later in the year, the team turns its attention to another ecological threat: Canada goldenrod, an invasive plant that spreads rapidly and crowds out native vegetation.

To encourage public participation, the researchers organize educational campaigns, sometimes delivering up to nine lectures a day. They teach residents how to identify invasive species and have launched a mini-program that allows the public to report sightings. Volunteers also take part in removal and composting activities.

"After joining the program, I realized this is not just physical work, but a valuable opportunity to help understand nature," says Jiang Li, a local resident who participated with her child.

The laboratory also serves as a hub for nature education, bringing together experts in veterinary science, plant taxonomy, animal behavior and butterfly genome evolution.

Liu says the laboratory offers free or low-cost public classes every week, including indoor lectures, outdoor field trips, and nighttime wildlife observation sessions.

"Nature education is not simply going out for spring outings. It is about helping people build an emotional bond with nature," Liu says.

Over the past eight years, the laboratory's team of more than 20 members has introduced over 55,000 youngsters to nature through programs such as the Field Natural History Expeditions, The Magic of Yeast, and Secrets of the Bacterial World.

The laboratory also operates Wuyuan's only wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center. "We are not only rescuing animals but also changing public attitude toward wildlife," Liu says.

Villagers who once killed snakes on sight or used them to make medicinal liquor are increasingly choosing to protect them instead.

"We hope to make science more accessible," says Ning Zhenzhen, a recent graduate of Nanjing Agricultural University. "Biodiversity protection is not just the responsibility of researchers and authorities. It is a duty shared by all of us."

XINHUA