China's wetland area stays above 56.35 million hectares amid restoration efforts

China has continued to advance wetland conservation and restoration, implementing over 3,700 protection and restoration projects and adding or restoring more than 1 million hectares of wetlands, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

As a result, the country's total wetland area has remained stable at over 56.35 million hectares. More than 2,200 wetland nature reserves have been established, significantly improving the ecological conditions of key wetland areas.

In recent years, China has strengthened its legal framework for wetland protection and conducted comprehensive monitoring of forests, grasslands, and wetlands. The country has also accelerated the implementation of a special mangrove conservation and restoration initiative, adding 8,800 hectares and restoring 8,200 hectares of mangroves over the past five years.

China's total mangrove area now stands at 30,300 hectares – an increase of 8,300 hectares since the early 2000s – making it one of the few countries in the world to achieve a net gain in mangrove forests.

Additionally, China has made significant progress in preventing invasive species from threatening wetland ecosystems. By the end of 2024, the country had controlled Spartina alterniflora across 73,300 hectares, completing 89.4 percent of its target and successfully curbing its uncontrolled spread.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of China's national wetland park system. Over the past two decades, 903 national wetland parks have been created, protecting 2.4 million hectares of wetlands and contributing over 50 billion yuan (about $7.0 billion) to regional economic growth. Approximately 90 percent of these parks are open to the public free of charge.

Sunday marks the 29th World Wetlands Day, with this year's theme being "Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future," highlighting the importance of wetland conservation for a sustainable future.