GCiA Student Spotlight | Exploring Urban Biodiversity: Birdwatching Along the Wenyu River

Global citizenship starts small: noticing what’s around us, asking good questions, and then doing something with what we learn. Through our Global Citizenship Program, students are encouraged to explore issues they care about, consider the impact they can make, and take meaningful action locally and globally. Guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and our Impact Model, students ask themselves: How can I deepen my understanding? What action can I take? And what impact might that action have? 

Last month, thirteen students from the Ecosystems and Conservation GCiA club brought those questions to life on the banks of the Wenyu River. Their field trip marked the first step in a growing partnership between WAB and YeWhy Conservation. Before the trip, students met virtually with YeWhy’s director, Peng Luo, to learn about urban biodiversity and help shape the experience themselves. By the time they arrived at the river alongside the WAB Wild team, they were not simply participants, they were young conservationists ready to observe, question, and discover. 

Guided by Peng Luo and a colleague from Tsinghua University, students learned to slow down and truly see: scanning treetops, listening for subtle bird calls, and watching for movement along the water’s edge. Conversations unfolded naturally about migration routes, habitat systems, and the delicate balance that allows wildlife to thrive in urban spaces such as Beijing. The experience reflected one of the core values of global citizenship at WAB, living in harmony with nature and recognizing our responsibility to protect it. 

One moment stayed with many of them: a kestrel, a small bird of prey rarely spotted within city limits, appeared overhead. As it soared and paused to preen, students watched in awe. For some, it was their first time seeing a raptor in flight beyond a documentary screen. It was a  powerful reminder that urban environments are not separate from nature, they are part of it. 

The visit sparked ideas for what comes next. Students are now exploring ways to curate an art gallery or awareness campaign combining photography and research to share the story of local ecosystems with the wider WAB community. In doing so, they move from awareness to action, the heart of the GCiA journey. 

Looking back, many described the trip as a break from city life, a chance to tune into a different rhythm away from screens and technology. It was a reminder that biodiversity thrives everywhere, and that noticing is the first step toward protecting. 

This field trip was just the beginning. As the partnership with YeWhy Conservation continues to grow, so too will opportunities for students to lead meaningful, skills-based conservation initiatives grounded in curiosity, responsibility, and care, living out what it truly means to be global citizens.