With global mangroves still shrinking by approximately 1% a year, Zhanjiang, in Guangdong Province, the prefecture-level city with the largest mangrove area in China, has emerged as a leading example of ecological restoration.
At the summary conference on Guangdong's mangrove planting and restoration work during the 14th Five-Year Plan period and a blue carbon exchange seminar held in Zhanjiang on July 7, officials announced that the city had exceeded its targets for mangrove planting and restoration by the end of May. The mangrove area has grown against the trend to 6,667.79 hectares, accounting for 21.5% of the country's total and 57.2% of Guangdong's mangroves. International wetland experts have hailed Zhanjiang as "a successful model for wetland restoration worldwide."
The mangrove forest on Jinniu Island is seen from above. (Photo: Wu Dongjun)
As Guangdong's key region for mangrove conservation and restoration, Zhanjiang has made these efforts a top priority. The city introduced the Zhanjiang Mangrove Wetland Protection Regulations, the first local regulation in Guangdong dedicated to mangrove conservation. Additionally, Zhanjiang has established an integrated monitoring system that combines field patrols with technology-enabled surveillance. These efforts have reinforced ecological safeguards and developed a replicable and scalable "Zhanjiang model" for mangrove conservation and restoration.
To balance ecological restoration with local livelihoods, Zhanjiang has pioneered an integrated mangrove-aquaculture model. On Donghai Island, researchers selected suitable mangrove species and adopted an integrated aquaculture system for mud crabs and shellfish, transforming former aquaculture ponds into thriving "marine forests." The project increased the natural conversion rate of premium butter crabs from less than 0.3% to nearly 70%. In 2025, the model was selected by the Ministry of Natural Resources of China as a national example of marine ecological protection and restoration, demonstrating how ecological conservation can be aligned with economic development.
Mud crabs are raised in an integrated mangrove aquaculture system. (Photo: Deng Anqi)
Zhanjiang has also been a pioneer in China's blue carbon development. As early as 2019, the city launched the first mangrove carbon sink project in China. In 2021, it completed the country's first mangrove carbon sink transaction, which involved the offsetting of 5,880 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent, effectively translating ecological value into economic value. Today, ecotourism routes such as tidal-flat foraging on Techeng Island and mangrove study tours in Gaoqiao are gaining popularity, making mangroves a signature ecological attraction for Zhanjiang.
From protecting one of China's most valuable coastal ecosystems to transforming ecological resources into sustainable development opportunities, Zhanjiang serves as a model for the conservation and sustainable use of coastal wetlands worldwide.
Author | Deng Anqi
