The Forestry Administration of Guangdong Province recently announced the second batch of regional botanical gardens and native botanical gardens. Qi'ao Mangrove Botanical Garden (淇澳红树植物园) in Zhuhai was selected as a native botanical garden due to its unique ecological value and rich plant resources.
Located within the Qi'ao–Dangan Island Provincial Nature Reserve (淇澳—担杆岛省级自然保护区), the botanical garden is situated in a protected area that fully encompasses three major ecosystems: forests, wetlands, and marine environments.
Within the Qi'ao section alone, mangroves cover approximately 500 hectares. The garden has collected and preserved 33 species of mangrove plants, accounting for about 90% of all mangrove species found in China.
The Qi'ao Mangrove Botanical Garden is also an important stop along the East Asian–Australasian Flyway, a major global migratory bird route. During the migratory bird season from October to April each year, tens of thousands of wintering birds—including gulls, sandpipers, ducks, and various species of herons—can be observed.
On February 2, 2025, the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone Mangrove Protection Regulations officially came into effect. The regulations clearly define prohibited activities within mangrove nature reserves, aiming to prevent ecological degradation at the source. They also establish an ecological compensation system for mangrove protection, promoting coordinated development between mangrove conservation and socio-economic growth.
Author: Liu Yue
Photo: Nanfang Plus
