A resident releases fish into Fuxian Lake on Friday, to help restore the lake's ecology. [Provided To China Daily]

Over the past five years, the local government in Yunnan province has restored Fuxian Lake, its third-largest freshwater lake, back to its former clarity through dozens of ecological restoration projects.

On Friday, the government of Yuxi, the city where the lake is located, organized a series of events commemorating the 12th annual Fuxian Lake Protection Day, including destroying illegal fishing nets, conveying the importance of environmental protection and releasing 350,000 Schizothorax taliensis, an endangered indigenous fish species, back into the lake to balance the ecosystem.

The local government plans to release 700,000 of the fish by the end of this year.

"I brought my children here today just to show them what the fish looks like," said Wang Ting, 30, a local villager. "The water has become so much cleaner in recent years."

Fuxian Lake stretches over 212 square kilometers and accounts for 9.2 percent of China's freshwater reserves. Since 2000, farm pollution, overfishing and illegal construction around the lake have threatened its fragile ecosystem.

Now with continuous droughts, the water level has decreased by more than 2 meters in the past six years.

In response, the government tore down 360,000 square meters of illegal buildings, restored 533 hectares of vegetation and developed a 750-hectare lakeside buffer zone, according to Wu Jichang, director of the Fuxian Lake Administration.

It also moved or banned industrial animal farming around the area and is encouraging farmers to plant less-polluting crops, such as blueberries and lotus.

In the next five years, Yuxi will invest 14.5 billion yuan ($2.2 billion) in 45 projects to further protect the ecological integrity of the lake, Wu said.

"We have to protect beautiful Fuxian Lake, and I will volunteer and contribute whenever possible," said Liang Xifeng, a 19-year-old student from Macao.

Zhang Zhihao contributed to this story.