Songya Lake has officially been named a national wetland park, making it the third park in Changsha, Hunan province to attain this honor, according to an announcement published on Aug 16 by the State Forestry Administration.

The Songya Lake Wetland Park is located in the northeast of Changsha county. The 365-acre park contains several different types of wetland, including lake wetland, marsh wetland and constructed wetland.

Songya Lake National Wetland Park is a wonderful place for people to relax in their free time. [Photo by Zeng Shiyi/csxrmt.com]

There are 126 types of plants and 86 species of wild animals in the park, forming a rich local ecosystem.

Songya Lake was listed as one of the pilot national wetland parks in March 2011, with a trial period of five years.

Over the past years, Changsha's government has launched a series of measures to promote the construction of the Songya Lake area, improving the management of the park, sewage treatment infrastructure and the protection of the wetlands.

The local authority has pledged to invest 100 million yuan ($15 million) in protecting the water quality in the wetland area. The move will include introducing aquatic plants and animals to the wetlands, which will help to purify the water.

The smooth road and fresh air in the wetland park is popular with local cyclists. [Photo by Li Feng/Changsha Evening News]

The park also vowed to raise people's awareness of environmental issues by promoting knowledge about wetlands and their protection.

Their efforts paid off on Aug 16, when Songya Lake was included in the list of new national wetland parks.