Egrets are seen on the mudflats near Lanhe River. [Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]

Lanhe town in Guangzhou's Nansha district had started to gain momentum in the improvement of its local water environment by the end of 2020.

The town invested 18.4 million yuan ($2.83 million) in dredging 14 rivers in 2020.

Efforts have also been made in shutting down places causing large amounts of pollution, controlling the sources of pollutants, reinforcing river banks and constructing green corridors alongside the rivers.

Daily cleaning work on 76 local rivers will be pushed forward in 2021, and the renovation of 53 rivers such as Shawanchong and Jiaotongchong will be carried out.

Egrets are now often seen on the mudflats near Lanhe River, a species which is very sensitive to local ecological conditions.

"We used to only hear about the egrets from the elderly, but now these birds are frequently seen in the town," said a staff member from the water affairs bureau of Lanhe town.

An aerial view of Lanhe town.[Photo/gznsnews.com.cn]