Huangshi Power Grid Employees Create a Safety Barrier for Power Lines and Birds

Zheng Qingsong, a transmission operation and maintenance worker at the State Grid Huangshi Power Supply Company, with an Oriental stork he rescued

Photo by Liu Jialiang

In 2016, the Huangshi Power Grid Bird Protection Volunteer Service Team was established. Over a decade of development, the volunteer service team has grown to over 2,000 members. Recently, the team was named the 11th "National Model Collective for Learning from Lei Feng at the Post" by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee.

Team leader Zheng Qingsong is a transmission operation and maintenance worker at the State Grid Huangshi Power Supply Company. For years, he has dedicated himself to protecting both power lines and birds, rescuing various state-protected animals, including Oriental storks and owls. People affectionately call him the "Power Grid Bird Dad."

Members of the Bird Protection Volunteer Service Team install a custom-made bird nest

Photo by Liu Jialiang

In May 2016, while at work, Zheng Qingsong and his colleagues discovered a giant bird's nest on a transmission tower, dangerously close to live conductors. Concerned for the safety of both the birds and the power lines, they promptly sent the three shivering chicks inside the nest to a nearby rescue station.

By consulting reference materials and drawing on their work experience, Zheng Qingsong and his colleagues have ensured the harmonious coexistence of birds and power lines by relocating nests and installing safety baffles.

A transmission maintenance worker from the State Grid Huangshi Power Supply Company performs maintenance on a transmission tower, coexisting harmoniously with an Oriental stork above Photo by Liu Jialiang

Members of the State Grid Huangshi Power Supply Company's Bird Protection Volunteer Service Team feed an Oriental stork next to a newly installed nest on a transmission tower

Photo by Liu Jialiang

To date, the Huangshi Power Grid Bird Protection Volunteer Service Team has rescued 16 Oriental storks—a Class I state-protected animal in China—and over 120 other birds. Furthermore, the team has collaborated with government departments, wildlife protection stations, community village committees, and bird enthusiasts to create a five-party coordination mechanism. This initiative has built a "3+N" power grid bird protection ecosystem, trained over 1,500 volunteers, and disseminated environmental protection knowledge to nearly 10,000 people.