A view of the Xiatanwei Mangrove Park Photo: Chen Bo

From a high altitude overlooking Tong'an Bay in Xiamen, East China's Fujian Province, patches of greenery are embedded like emeralds in the azure sea on both sides of the bay's top bridge. Walking on the plank road in the Xiatanwei Mangrove Park, the largest artificially reconstructed mangrove-themed ecological park in Fujian, with the tide rising wave after wave, the mangrove forest gently sways, showcasing a successful example of ecological restoration in Xiamen Bay.

Lin Yongsheng, 55, grew up in Qiongtou village by Tong'an Bay. In his childhood memories, the bay area was just a muddy wasteland, with oysters hidden in rock cracks. Villagers would fish and dig for oysters, and later, aquaculture gradually developed. "Wastewater was discharged into the sea, and the wild mangroves became fewer," he told the Global Times.

Satellite remote sensing image of Tongan Bay before the construction of Xiatanwei Mangrove Park in October 2009. Photo: Courtesy of Xiatanwei Mangrove Park

Mangroves are a general term for woody plant communities that grow in the intertidal zone of tropical and subtropical coastlines. They are named after their red bark, which is rich in tannic acid. Mangroves can not only prevent wind and waves, but also purify seawater, providing habitats for fish, shrimp, and birds. They are known as the "coastal guardians" and "oceanic green lungs."

In recent years, the mangrove ecosystem has been facing a global decline in both its area and function. According to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme released in April 2023, the global mangrove coverage has decreased by 3.4 percent since 1996, resulting in a net loss of 5,245 square kilometers. Furthermore, the risk of the extinction of 44 percent of mangrove-related species is increasing.

The rapid degradation of the mangrove ecosystem, coupled with the invasion of marine disasters such as typhoons and storm surges, has severely impacted the ecological environment in the Xiatanwei sea area and the coastal economic development. Data show that from 2001 to 2010, an average of 2.5 red tides occurred each year in the Tong'an Bay area.

In 2005, Xiamen made a determination to carry out mangrove ecological restoration. A research team from Xiamen University came to cultivate and plant a 100-acre experimental forest.

Yu Yanfeng, the project construction leader of the Xiamen Ocean Development Bureau, told the Global Times that since 2010, 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. The main tree species include Avicennia marina, Bruguiera gymnorhiza, and Excoecaria agallocha. In the second phase, an additional 36 hectares of mangroves were planted, including Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Avicennia marina, Excoecaria agallocha, and Kandelia candel. 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.

Satellite remote sensing image of Tongan Bay after the full construction of Xiatanwei Mangrove Park in February 2023. Photo: Courtesy of Xiatanwei Mangrove Park

As the mangroves thrive, the Tongan bay's ecosystem is reshaped. According to the latest research data from Xiamen University and Jimei University, the number and biomass of fish, shellfish, and crustacean species in the mangrove restoration area have increased compared to before the restoration. 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. The "forest-mudflat-ocean" community and the ecological barrier of mangroves are becoming more stable, and the ecological vitality and resilience of the coastal zone continue to strengthen.

Peter Thomson, the UN Secretary-General's special envoy for the ocean has visited the park twice and cited it as a model for mangrove restoration in speeches around the world.

Since its opening, Xiatanwei Mangrove Park has attracted up to 50,000 visitors in a single day. Lin found employment as a security guard in the park, fulfilling his duty right at his doorstep.

Today, the Xiatanwei Mangrove Park has been developed into an urban park that combines environmental protection, scientific research, popular science education, and recreational sightseeing. It has become a new calling card for Xiamen, a high-quality, international, and modern garden city.

An egret fishes in the Xiatanwei Mangrove Park. Photo: Chen Bo