World's First Intergovernmental Mangrove Centre Opens in Shenzhen, Boosting China's Conservation

International Mangrove Center Commences Operations

On July 26, 2026, the International Mangrove Center (IMC) held its inaugural council meeting and unveiling ceremony in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, south China.

This event marked the IMC's transition from a global initiative, first proposed by China at the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP14) in 2022, into a fully operational international organisation. The IMC is the world's first intergovernmental body specifically dedicated to mangrove conservation and cooperation.

Its mandate involves advancing global collaboration on the conservation, restoration, and sustainable utilisation of mangroves, fostering deeper involvement in global ecological governance, and safeguarding these vital coastal resources. The Ramsar Convention secretariat praised China's instrumental role in establishing the centre.

Currently, the IMC comprises eight member states and 13 signatory countries, encompassing key mangrove distribution areas across Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

Chinese representatives affirmed the government's commitment to working with member states on joint research, training, and demonstration projects to aid countries in improving mangrove management, thereby contributing to global biodiversity conservation, climate change response, and sustainable development objectives.

China's National Mangrove Expansion and Protection

China has made substantial progress in expanding its mangrove areas through national policy implementation. Since 2020, following the launch of its Special Action Plan for the Conservation and Restoration of Mangrove Forests (2020-2025), China has planted approximately 11,600 hectares of new mangroves.

This systematic effort has resulted in over 90 percent of the country's existing mangrove forests being protected under its ecological protection red line, a zoning mechanism designed to restrict development in sensitive ecological regions. Concurrently, China's legal and standards framework for mangrove protection continues to develop.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration are preparing to issue a new special action plan for mangrove protection spanning 2026-2030.

This forthcoming plan aims to provide local governments with guidance on protection and restoration efforts, balancing high-level ecological protection with the high-quality development of mangrove ecosystems.

Guangdong Province Reinforces Conservation

Guangdong Province, which accounts for nearly 40 percent of China's mangroves with approximately 11,600 hectares, has implemented specific regional strategies to reinforce conservation. The provincial government has placed 93 percent of its mangroves under the ecological protection red line.

To strengthen these measures, Guangdong has refined its provincial and municipal legal and planning frameworks. This includes adding a dedicated chapter for mangrove protection within its provincial wetland regulations and enacting supporting legislation in coastal cities such as Zhanjiang and Zhuhai.

Consequently, all 14 coastal cities within Guangdong Province now operate under specific mangrove protection plans. These localised approaches demonstrate an adaptable strategy to address unique regional conditions and continuously enhance mangrove conservation efforts across the province.

Guangxi's Advanced Mangrove Management

The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has also reported significant advances in mangrove conservation, combining restoration initiatives with scientific research and improved management practices. By the close of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), Guangxi's mangrove area had expanded to 10,800 hectares.

This figure surpassed its target of exceeding 10,000 hectares by eight percent and represented a 47.95 percent increase from the end of the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015). Since 2019, forestry research teams in Guangxi have worked to establish a comprehensive mangrove germplasm resource bank.

This facility currently preserves 17 mangrove species, including 124 provenances and 617 germplasm samples, providing essential support for future restoration and conservation projects.

Furthermore, the region has reinforced protection through a multi-faceted management system, which includes appointing "mangrove forest chiefs," establishing township-level mangrove resource protection stations, deploying dedicated patrol officers, and creating a coordination mechanism involving forest chiefs, police chiefs, and procuratorate officials.

Guangxi also employs satellite remote sensing, drone patrols, and ground-based video monitoring to build a network for regular inspections, dynamic monitoring, and early warning.

Implications for Travel and Industry

The expansion of China's mangrove forests and the establishment of the International Mangrove Center carry direct implications for global environmental stability and, consequently, for the travel industry.

Mangrove ecosystems are crucial for coastal protection, carbon sequestration, and supporting marine biodiversity, all of which underpin the appeal and resilience of coastal travel destinations.

For travellers, these conservation efforts contribute to the preservation of natural landscapes and wildlife habitats, potentially creating new eco-tourism opportunities in responsibly managed areas. Industry stakeholders, particularly those in coastal hospitality, cruise operations, and nature-based tourism, should observe these developments closely.

Long-term environmental health, supported by initiatives like the IMC and China's national plans, directly influences the sustainability and attractiveness of travel products.

Monitoring the implementation of the 2026-2030 mangrove protection plan and the IMC's collaborative projects will be key for understanding future impacts on destination planning and sustainable tourism practices.