Coastlines and wetlands in northern China improve through restoration during 14th Five-Year Plan
More than 200 kilometers of coastline and over 27,000 hectares of coastal wetlands stretching through Tianjin and the provinces of Shandong, Liaoning, and Hebei were restored and rehabilitated during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), according to a bulletin recently released by the North China Sea Bureau of the Ministry of Natural Resources.
The bulletin said marine ecological conservation and restoration efforts across the three provinces and the municipality had made significant progress during the period.
A total of 5,785 hectares of coastal salt marshes, 1,167 hectares of seagrass beds and 4,050 hectares of oyster reefs were restored. Meanwhile, 51 kilometers of sandy coastline were rehabilitated, and 125 kilometers of seawalls underwent ecological transformation, according to the bulletin. The area of coastal salt marshes increased by 51 percent from 2020, while the overall removal rate of Spartina alterniflora, an invasive cordgrass species, exceeded 94 percent.
The restoration efforts also produced notable ecological benefits. The Nandagang Wetland migratory bird habitat was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. During the same time, 33 bays were named national-level "Beautiful Bays" and six islands or island groups received national-level "Hemei Islands" honors, the bulletin added.
The restoration projects also strengthened coastal resilience. The Tianjiaoshan area in Huludao, Liaoning, and a seawall in Weifang, Shandong, managed to withstand storm surges. The Yellow River estuary and Liaohe River estuary have become important stopover sites for migratory birds, the bulletin said.
