Eco-hub offers meeting space for nature lovers

Eco-tours, especially those focused on nature education, have gained popularity in China in recent years as more Chinese are willing to develop their interests in natural history.

On May 18, dozens of natural history enthusiasts gathered in a store at the West Gate of Olympic Forest Park's North Garden in Beijing to celebrate the opening of Naturewin Eco-Creation Hub.

The hub combines a nature-themed book cafe, a nature experience center, a nature school and an eco-tour agency, aiming to nurture naturalists among the capital's residents.

"As British zoologist Dr Jane Goodall said, 'We can all be naturalists,'" Zhao Chao, founder and CEO of Beijing Naturewin Tech, said at the opening ceremony. "We expect that our hub will become a place where nature lovers can meet and grow together."

The establishment of this space received significant support from various organizations, including Beijing Olympic Forest Park, Zeiss Optics and Chinese National Geographic Books.

It has become the city's first experience center for Zeiss binoculars and telescopes.

The hub was completed before Chinese New Year, Zhao said, and after a three-month trial run, it is now officially open to the public. Visitors can read nature-related books and photo albums, attend parent-child nature courses every weekend and participate in nature experiences suitable for all ages. Additionally, primary and secondary school students can engage in nature study activities here.

"We offer bird-watching tours at Olympic Forest Park every weekend," Zhao said.

Zhao, who has a graduate degree of ornithology, established Naturewin 10 years ago, dedicated to promoting nature education and eco-tours in the country.

During the opening ceremony, renowned children's book author Bao Dongni, plant-themed nonfiction author Shi Jun, and wildlife photographer and scientific illustrator Zhang Yu, shared their captivating nature experiences with enthusiasts and donated their books to the space.

Bao recounted stories of her travels with Naturewin to the Arctic and Antarctic, the Galapagos Islands and the East African savannas.

Shi gave a talk titled "The History of China in a Bowl of Rice", discussing the origins and development of grains from various continents, especially China. Shi's latest books, The History of Grains, The History of Fruits and The History of Vegetables, were given to lucky audience members.

Zhang shared his experiences in places like Olympic Forest Park — the feeding habits of the little grebe, eating behaviors of the common merganser, nesting behavior of magpies and foraging behavior of blackbirds. These are common species in Beijing that ordinary people can observe, offering an experience as fascinating as watching a documentary. His book, What Animals Taught Me, was also given to lucky enthusiasts.

Since its founding in 2016, Naturewin has been committed to creating a natural lifestyle for Chinese families through practices in nature travel, education and conservation, promoting harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.