Shenzhen’s mangrove forests lost to pollution
December 20, 2012 Category Environment, Pollution
Shrinking Shenzhen mangrove forests are posing a threat to migratory birds at Hong Kong’s Mai Po Nature Reserve, experts say. Shenzhen had more than 530 hectares of mangrove forest in the early 1980s, forming one of China’s most important wetland conservation zones. It now has less than a quarter of that left – just 130 hectares. More than half of the endangered species that were living in Shenzhen’s mangrove wetlands have disappeared, including birds, plants and fish, according to a report by Wang Yongjun, former Director of Shenzhen’s Futian Mangrove Nature Reserve. Experts in Shenzhen blamed the mangrove forests’ decline on reckless urbanization and industrial pollution. But few expected such a massive loss of forest area, especially after Shenzhen’s city government released a blueprint in 2007 pledging to triple the size of the city’s mangrove forests to more than 500 hectares by 2015. The authorities have not released a general survey of the state of the city’s wetlands and mangroves since 2006. Most of Shenzhen’s remaining mangroves are now threatened by infrastructure projects and commercial property development.
- KURT VANDEPUTTE (UMICORE) APPOINTED CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF THE FLANDERS-CHINA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (FCCC)
- Webinar: “Knowing Your Chinese Partner” – May 26, 2021, 10 am – 12 am
- EMA starts rolling review of CoronaVac, WHO approves Sinopharm vaccine for emergency use
- The Global Times warns not to politicize the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI)
- Hainan to become biggest duty-free market in the world