The International Association of Natural Resources (iAONR) officially announced the winners of the inaugural International Award for Best Practices (IABP) in Natural Resources and Planning recently. Following a rigorous evaluation process, the Yangtze Estuary Chinese Sturgeon Nature Reserve Base Phase II, for which designed by OBERMEYER, was honored with the Excellence Award in the Rural Revitalization category. This project has become a benchmark, demonstrating how ecological conservation can promote the sustainable development of rural areas. A total of 52 projects were nominated for this edition of the competition, of which 27 won awards. Four of these projects received recognition in the Rural Revitalization category.

The project is rooted in the development of the Shanghai Chongming World-Class Ecological Island and focuses on conserving Chinese sturgeon and other rare aquatic species. By integrating ecological restoration, scientific research, breeding, popular science education and ecological experience functions, it aligns perfectly with the IABP Rural Revitalization category's orientation of improving rural living environments through planning and construction, developing characteristic industries based on ecological resources and promoting the integration of ecological conservation with rural cultural and tourism development.

The design establishes a sustainable, ecological water circulation system and created an immersive exhibition space that shows the ecology of the Yangtze River. We have closely linked national-level species conservation with the transformation of rural ecological values and improvements to rural living environments. We promote the green development of rural areas by safeguarding ecology. We activate the vitality of rural cultural and tourism industries by developing science popularization and research tourism. The project provides a practical approach to achieving symbiosis and shared prosperity between ecological reserves and the surrounding rural areas. It fully embodies the concept of sustainable development, promoting the coordinated advancement of ecological conservation and rural revitalization.

About iAONR

The International Association for Natural Resources (iAONR) is an international, non-profit, professional, academic organization dedicated to promoting sustainable management and research of natural resources.  It owns the mission to address global resource scarcity, ecological degradation and climate change through cross-border and interdisciplinary cooperation.

Established by iAONR, the International Award for Best Practices (IABP) in Natural Resources and Planning aims to recognize outstanding global practices in ecological conservation, sustainable planning, rural revitalization and other fields, and to advance the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Covering nine key areas including ecological restoration, rural revitalization and urban regeneration, the award is dedicated to promoting benchmark projects with resilience, green development and humanistic values, leading the industry toward a more sustainable future.