Mangrove forests thrive in the coastal area of Xiamen

In Xiatanwei Mangrove Coastal Wetland Ecological Park, Fujian's largest artificially recreated mangrove-themed ecological park, the mangrove forest gently sways as the tide rises, demonstrating a successful example of ecological restoration in Xiamen bay. Thanks to several mangrove restoration projects, this park has recently been transformed into a verdant barrier against storm surges and typhoons.

In recent years, the mangrove ecosystem has been facing a global decline in both its area and function. According to a United Nations Environment Programme report published in April 2023, the rate of global mangrove coverage has fallen by 3.4 percent since 1996, resulting in a net loss of 5,245 square kilometers.

Typhoons and storm surges, along with the fast deterioration of the mangrove ecology, have had a devastating effect on the ecological environment in the Xiatanwei sea area.

In 2005, Xiamen decided to restore mangrove ecosystems. According to Yu Yanfeng, the project construction leader of the Xiamen Ocean Development Bureau, Xiamen has implemented mangrove ecological restoration in stages. In the first phase, measures such as retiring and clearing beaches, dredging waterways, building embankments and planting mangroves were taken to restore 44 hectares of mangroves.

In the second phase, an additional 36 hectares of mangroves were planted. By 2020, the total area of mangrove ecological restoration in Xiatanwei had reached 404 hectares, including 180 hectares of retired and cleared beaches, 85 hectares of planted mangroves, 4.5 kilometers of shoreline improvement and 7 kilometers of dredged waterways.

The quantity and biomass of fish, shellfish and crustacean species in the mangrove restoration region have increased in comparison to before the restoration. According to recent research data from Xiamen University and Jimei University, the total number of species has increased by 2.4 times, and the biomass has increased by 2.99 times, 4.76 times and 1.19 times, respectively.

UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the Ocean, Peter Thomson, has paid two visits and praised it as a model for mangrove restoration in speeches around the world. It has also grown in popularity as a leisure and recreational destination.