An aerial view of the Sonneratia trees on the mangrove wetland at the mouth of Shenzhen River in Futian District.
The second phase of an ecological restoration project on the mangrove wetland at the mouth of Shenzhen River in Futian District will be launched, according to a notice released by the Municipal Planning and Natural Resources Bureau on Tuesday.
In comparison to the first phase that involves 4.3 hectares of mangrove forest, the second phase will cover 8.78 hectares.
Under the second-phase of the project, exotic mangrove trees will be replaced with local species to improve the ecological value of the wetland.
The first phase of the project has been ongoing, while the second phase is expected to begin in May this year after the end of bird migration season.
It is reported that the project area was once a tidal flat. Starting in 1990, Sonneratia trees, a species of mangrove trees, were brought from Hainan Province and introduced to Shenzhen Bay to rehabilitate the mangrove forest.
However, Sonneratia trees grow fast, and they eventually started to take over the habitat from other local mangrove trees and shrubs.
As a result, the project is designed to reduce the impact of exotic mangrove plants on local mangroves in Guangdong Neilingding Futian National Nature Reserve, Hong Kong Mai Po Nature Reserve and Futian Mangrove Ecological Park, to slow down the spread of exotic mangroves in Shenzhen Bay, and to provide more habitats for winter migratory birds.
The Shenzhen Mangrove Wetlands Conservation Foundation will cover the project fees.
In addition, the project plans to restore 3.08 hectares of mangrove forest on other suitable lands to ensure that there is no reduction of the total area of mangrove forest in Shenzhen.