China has become one of the few countries to buck the global trend of coastal deforestation, achieving a 44 percent increase in mangrove forest area since 2000, according to the latest data from the Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

For Xu Hechang, 38, a crab farmer who leases 53 hectares of coastal ponds in Zhanjiang in South China's Guangdong province, the rapid improvement is tangible.

"The shells of crabs raised here are harder and the meat is sweeter because of the clean water," he said.

"My family has farmed here for generations, but never at this scale. Now, with healthier mangroves, the crabs can sell for double the normal price."

The latest data show that China's total mangrove canopy now stands at approximately 31,700 hectares, up from a low in 2000 of 22,000 hectares. The milestone establishes China as one of the few maritime nations globally to secure net-positive growth in intertidal wetlands.

China's trajectory began to diverge in the 2000s as protection efforts intensified. Progress accelerated further in the past few years after the Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration rolled out a special action plan for mangrove protection and restoration (2020-25), setting targets to create 9,050 hectares of new mangroves and restore 9,750 hectares of degraded forests.

Prioritizing the protection of mangrove ecosystems, authorities banned further reclamation of tidal flats, incorporated remaining mangrove stands into ecological protection red lines and promoted tailored, science-based restoration approaches.

"Mangroves are the only woody plant communities that survive in the intertidal zones of tropical and subtropical regions — flooded at high tide and exposed at low tide," said Ding Xinyuan, an associate professor at the mangrove protection research center of the Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhanjiang).

"Despite being green, the name in Chinese translates to 'red forest', referring to their tannin-rich inner bark, which oxidizes and turns deep red when exposed to air after cutting," Ding said. "Ecologically, they are defined by their specialized aerial roots. These roots allow the trees to absorb oxygen in waterlogged mud, and some species can excrete excess salt through their leaves."

Ding said the tangled root systems act as natural nurseries, providing shelter and breeding grounds for fish, crabs and other benthic organisms. The dense roots also help purify water by slowing tidal currents, trapping suspended sediments and absorbing excess nitrogen and phosphorus from aquaculture runoff before it reaches the open sea.

"Globally, they are among the planet's most powerful carbon sinks, sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at a rate significantly higher than that of a tropical rainforest of the same area," he said.

Home to China's largest mangrove area, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the national total, Guangdong was assigned the largest share of the 2020-25 national plan: creating 5,500 hectares of new mangroves and rehabilitating 2,500 hectares of degraded forests. Yet much of its suitable intertidal land had long been converted into aquaculture ponds that supported tens of thousands of coastal households.

"The biggest challenge in restoration is not planting trees, but balancing nature with livelihoods," Ding said.

Science has offered a way forward through an integrated mangrove-aquaculture model, such as the one used by crab farmer Xu. Unlike conventional ponds that enclose all water for farming or clear all vegetation to maximize space, the approach restores ecosystems while maintaining productivity.

"We dig soil from the ponds to build islands, aiming to keep the total breeding capacity unchanged. This minimizes the impact on the yield of fish, shrimp and crabs while allowing the mangroves to breathe normally," Ding said.

He added that mangroves provide shelter for aquaculture species, purify the water and reduce disease, while nutrients and waste from the ponds serve as natural fertilizer for the trees.

Ding said his lab is exploring techniques to produce higher-value products from integrated ponds. Preliminary results include an artificial intervention method that enhances roe richness in female crabs — a trait that commands 10 times the normal market price — and the development of what is believed to be the world's first mangrove fruit wine using biological fermentation technology.

While mangrove restoration in Guangdong illustrates the balance between conservation and livelihoods, the neighboring Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region is demonstrating how mangroves can be used as protection against typhoons and storm surges.

Li Xiaoyu, an engineer with the marine bureau in Fangchenggang, Guangxi, said that during his first visit to the Hongshahuan area in 2010, the site was littered with abandoned aquaculture ponds. In 2012, an ecological seawall improvement project was proposed, selecting Hongshahuan as a pilot area.

"Mangroves are a unique ecosystem bridging land and sea. Their extensive root systems effectively reduce sediment loads in nearshore waters, while their dense yet flexible branches and trunks dissipate wave energy," Li said, adding that the restoration work capitalized on those advantages.

Completed over three years, China's first demonstration ecological seawall stretches 3.2 kilometers and features a layered structure. On the outermost tidal flats, 9,913 square meters of mangroves were planted. Moving inward, the seawall body — built with artificial reef blocks — was covered with coastal vegetation. Behind it lies a landscaped forest belt and ecological corridor.

Li said mangroves not only buffer waves and reduce erosion but also slow the solar weathering of embankments. Since its completion, the seawall has withstood more than 10 typhoons, including a severe storm in 2018 when maximum wind speeds reached 40 meters per second.

"Ten years on, the seawall remains solid. The mangroves have flourished into a verdant woodland, showcasing remarkable progress in ecological restoration," Li said.

Similar efforts have taken shape nationwide. Fujian, home to the Zhangjiangkou National Mangrove Nature Reserve, has expanded greenbelts along the Zhangjiang River estuary. Hainan province, which boasts the country's richest mangrove biodiversity, has focused on genetic research and invasive species removal. Coastal provinces have incorporated mangrove targets into their local five-year plans, helping fulfill the national blueprint.

The success reflects a broader shift in coastal governance — one led by government but supported by private capital. Environmental nonprofit, SEE Foundation, has mobilized companies to help fill funding gaps in protection and conservation across China and Southeast Asia. Partnering with the Ministry of Natural Resources' Third Institute of Oceanography, it coauthored the national standard for mangrove carbon credits, turning carbon storage into a tradable asset.

China has also shown a willingness to share its experience internationally. Efforts include building the International Mangrove Center in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, integrating mangrove conservation into the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, and expanding South-South technical cooperation with mangrove-restoring countries across Asia and the Pacific.

Despite being home to only about 0.2 percent of the world's mangroves, China is demonstrating that restoration is not a choice between nature and humanity, but a synthesis of both. It is proving that even a small fraction of greenery can anchor a coastline, sustain a community and contribute to global ecological balance.

limenghan@chinadaily.com.cn