China boosts wetland conservation, adds over 1 million hectares since 2012

Thanks to sustained efforts in wetland conservation and restoration, China has added and rehabilitated more than 1 million hectares of wetland area since 2012. This achievement solidifies its position as the country with the largest wetland area in Asia and the fourth largest in the world.

The National Forestry and Grassland Administration said in a media release on Monday, which marked the 30th World Wetlands Day, that this accomplishment was achieved through more than 3,800 projects.

The theme for this year's World Wetlands Day is "Wetlands and Traditional Knowledge: Celebrating Cultural Heritage."

"China has achieved historic progress in wetland conservation, establishing a new framework that combines prioritized restoration with categorized protection," the release stated.

Stressing the irreplaceable ecological, social, economic, and cultural values of wetlands, the administration said China has continuously strengthened legal safeguards for wetland conservation. A dedicated national law for wetland conservation went into force in 2022, and 21 provincial regions across the country have formulated or revised their regulations on the issue.

China has also established and refined a tiered wetland management system. To date, the country has designated 82 wetlands of international importance, 80 at the national level, and 1,208 at the provincial level.

Meanwhile, 903 national wetland parks have been established, with roughly 90 percent open to the public for free, attracting around 320 million tourist visits annually.

The administration also highlighted efforts to enhance mangrove forest conservation. Since 2012, about 9,200 hectares of mangrove forests have been planted, and China has been developing the International Mangrove Center, which has expanded its consortium to 20 member nations since its launch in late 2024.

The administration outlined key priorities for wetlands conservation during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), including refining the legal framework, establishing a system for total wetland area control, and enhancing baseline surveys, dynamic monitoring, and early warning systems for wetland ecosystems.

In the Zhalong National Nature Reserve in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, a vivid illustration of national efforts unfolds daily. At this globally significant freshwater reed marsh, staff deploy a comprehensive monitoring network, integrating remote sensing, video surveillance, drones, and on-ground patrols.

"With this integrated monitoring network for biodiversity conservation, we are enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of wetland conservation," said Zhang Jianfei, director of the reserve's protection center.

On the front line, ranger Li Chuanling, 47, patrols the 210,000-hectare expanse with a handheld Beidou navigation device. When a path ends, a drone becomes his eyes in the sky, feeding high-definition images back to enrich the reserve's species recognition database.

"Supported by these technological means, the reserve administration has managed to rescue more rare birds than before," said Xu Jiong, an employee with the reserve, adding that 28 birds from 15 rare species were rescued in 2025 alone.

These efforts are yielding remarkable results. The population of wild red-crowned cranes, a species under first-class State protection in China, remains stable at around 300, making the area the world's largest breeding ground for the species, according to the reserve.