China planted about 7,000 hectares of mangrove forests from 2020 to 2023, making it one of the few countries in the world that saw an expansion in mangrove forest coverage in 2023, according to a report released by the Ministry of Natural Resources on Saturday to mark World Oceans Day.

Mangroves, a vital coastal ecosystem consisting of the trees and shrubs living in the intertidal zone, shrank in China from 50,000 hectares in the 1950s to 22,000 hectares in 2000. Over the last two decades, the country has been working hard to reverse the trend.

China has established at least 32 nature reserves specifically for the plants, which provide natural habitats for numerous marine species and protect shorelines from damaging winds, waves and floods.

In 2020, China launched a five-year special operation in mangrove protection and restoration.

Coastal areas in the country have been exploring ways to not only plant mangrove species, but also protect their habitats.

Smooth cordgrass, a common invasive species on China's coast, was first introduced in China in the 1970s because it was considered an effective tool to protect the coastline from erosion. But its explosive expansion also threatened mangroves.

Chinese scientists have been experimenting with physical, chemical and biological methods to eradicate the plant. 

In 2022, China kicked off a three-year special act to eliminate 90 percent of smooth cordgrass in the country by 2025.

Overall, China has set a target of at least 150,000 square kilometers of marine area for protection by 2030. The target includes rare and endangered marine life and typical marine ecosystems including mangroves and coral reefs. 

According to the Global Mangrove Alliance, mangrove forests cover about 14.7 million hectares worldwide – about the size of Bangladesh. An analysis published in late May by the International Union for Conservation of Nature shows that half of the world's mangrove forests are at risk due to human behavior.

(Cover image via CFP)