First of a series on South-North Water Diversion Project: China draws heavily on groundwater. However, in North China Plain, this limited resource is widely polluted and getting depleted fast.

First of a series on South-North Water Diversion Project: China draws heavily on groundwater. However, in North China Plain, this limited resource is widely polluted and getting depleted fast.

Natural forests cover about 10 percent of China’s surface area, but few of the forests remain in a primary or pristine condition. These forests are threatened primarily by timber collection, mining, unregulated harvesting of flora for traditional Chinese medicine and excessive development related to increased tourism.

Qinghai Lake is China's largest inland body of saltwater at 4318 square kilometers in area. Over the past century, however, the lake has found itself in a worrying downward trend as 700 square kilometers of its area have been lost and its surface level has dropped by 13 meters.

The 2000-year old Dujiangyan Irrigation system sits side-by-side with the Zipingpu Dam, in Sichuan Province. Ancient and modern ways of controlling water offer changing attitudes to China's relationship with water.

Since the end of World War 2, the world has lost approximately 50% of its mangroves, as a result of destruction by humans for coastal developments. In Guangdong Province, education is being used to combat mangrove destruction in China.

Dongting Lake has been reported as a lake in crisis. Dropping water levels have sent alarm-bells ringing in scientific and environmental circles, as the area of the lake has reportedly dropped by nearly 50 percent in the past 70 years.

It is estimated only 120 Chinese Alligators remain in the wild, as a result of wetlands reclamation and poaching over the past 50-60 years. The Anhui Research Center for Alligator Reproduction is aiming to change this.