China's southern island province of Hainan has made notable progress in the protection and restoration of mangroves, which serve as vital habitats for a variety of threatened species.
Mangroves form special ecosystems that straddle the border between land and sea. They host important biodiversity and protect coasts from erosion. China has been expanding mangrove coverage over the past few years as part of its ecological conservation efforts.
Staff plant mangrove saplings in the Hainan Dongzhai Port (Sanjiang Bay) Ecological Restoration Project, Hainan Province, south China, February 1, 2023. /CFP
Established in the 1980s, the Hainan Dongzhai Port National Nature Reserve in Haikou City is the country's first and the largest contiguous mangrove nature reserve, covering an area of over 3,300 hectares. The Hainan Dongzhai Port (Sanjiang Bay) Ecological Restoration Project was launched in February 2023, aiming to add over 100 hectares of mangroves to the reserve.
An aerial view of the mangroves at the Dongzhai Port National Nature Reserve, Haikou City, Hainan Province, south China, November 9, 2023. /CFP
To ensure the diversity of restored mangrove species, the construction team has divided the land into 83 small afforestation groups and planted more than 20 species of mangroves, letting the different species intermingle in a diverse tapestry.
Egrets perch in the mangroves at the Dongzhai Port National Nature Reserve, Haikou City, Hainan Province, south China, November 9, 2023. /CFP
A year of afforestation, the 40-hectare tidal flat has seen mangrove saplings sprouting. Currently, 229 species of birds have been spotted in Dongzhai Port, which is now home to 36 species of mangrove plants in 20 families, accounting for 97 percent of the country's total.
(Cover: an aerial view of the mangroves at the Dongzhai Port National Nature Reserve, Haikou City, Hainan Province, south China, November 9, 2023. /CFP)