An aerial view of the Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve. Spanning about 9 kilometers along the coastline with a total area of 367.6 hectares, it is the smallest mangrove reserve in China and the only national nature reserve in an urban area in the country. In 2022, it was listed as an internationally important wetland.China News Service
Shenzhen plans to transform itself into a world-class coastal city by 2035, as outlined in a long-term plan for wetland protection released by the city's urban planning and natural resources bureau.
To enhance public engagement with and awareness of wetland conservation, Shenzhen aims to establish a minimum of 20 wetland conservation communities, create five public wetland parks that serve as centers for education, recreation, and research, and develop at least 20 community-collaborative wetland parks. These initiatives are designed to give citizens a deeper sense of involvement and direct experience in the protection of these vital ecosystems.
This plan was formulated following an evaluation of Shenzhen's wetland resources, which accounted for their unique features, strengths, opportunities, and the challenges they face, along with addressing prevalent global concerns in wetland conservation.
Under the plan, wetlands around Shenzhen Bay, the Pearl River estuary, Daya Bay, and Tiegang-Shiyan — the city's largest wetland areas with the highest concentration of rare and endangered species — will be designated as four core regions for wetland conservation.
The plan underscores the importance of two key ecosystem conservation belts for sustaining coastal biodiversity and ecological security. One belt extends from the Pearl River estuary to Shenzhen Bay, and the other from Daya Bay to Dapeng Bay.
Additionally, it highlights the ecological corridors along six major rivers — the Maozhou, Guanlan, Longgang, Pingshan, Shenzhen, and Dasha rivers. These corridors are instrumental in preserving the inland water cycle, enhancing biodiversity, and ensuring urban ecological security, the plan stresses.
Shenzhen intends to apply for certain wetlands to be listed as nationally, provincially, or locally important wetlands, and a comprehensive directory will be published for these areas.
The city is dedicated to supporting wetland regions that provide habitats for rare and endangered species, such as waterfowl or the Chinese white dolphin, to win national-level wetland status. For instance, the city will pursue recognition of the northern coastal wetland of Neilingding Island as a nationally important wetland.
Furthermore, for areas that either host populations of at-risk bird species or play a crucial role as spawning, rearing, or feeding grounds for economically valuable fish, such as the Baguang Mangrove Wetland, the city will advocate for their recognition as provincially important wetlands.
In constructing the International Mangrove Center, Shenzhen aims to establish an open, inclusive, and mutually beneficial cooperation mechanism focused on the protection and restoration of mangrove forests. The city will also prioritize the protection of migratory birds, such as black-faced spoonbills and black-tailed godwits, and implement joint efforts to safeguard their flyways.
Shenzhen includes nearly 35,000 hectares of wetlands.