On National Ecology Day, a reporter from the New Express visited the Central Wetland Park in the Greater Bay Area located in Nansha

In the scorching summer, Nansha is covered in lush greenery and full of vitality. The Central Wetland Park of Dawan District, located at the mouth of the the Pearl River, is lush with mangroves, spreading into a coastal green barrier. Hundreds of water birds shuttle among them, either hovering and dancing in the sky, or skimming the water to chase the waves and lean down to forage. The scene of the birds' habitats that shuttle back and forth in the morning and evening has become the most touching daily picture of this wetland. On August 15th, the fourth National Ecological Day arrived as scheduled. New Express reporters visited and found that this ecological scene of clear water, green banks, and lush forests is a vivid epitome of the deep cultivation of ecological civilization construction in Nansha.

Nansha Wetland Wisdom: Adhere to Protection in "Development"

According to the 2026 Work Report of Nansha District Government in Guangzhou, during the 14th Five Year Plan period, Nansha will complete forest quality improvement and greening of over 12000 acres, add and upgrade over 140 kilometers of greenways, and build 45 urban and rural parks; By 2025, the 20 kilometer beautiful coastline will be fully connected, and the annual average concentration of PM2.5 will drop to 19 micrograms per cubic meter for the first time, ranking among the best in the city.

Looking at the whole city, the total area of wetlands in Guangzhou is about 67700 hectares, with a wetland rate of 9.35%. 25 wetland parks and 32 wetland conservation communities have been built, and it has been selected as a "Lighthouse City" in the Global Natural City Plan, fully launching the international wetland city certification. Guangzhou is based on its diverse ecological endowments of mountains, water, forests, fields, lakes, and seas, and its main greening indicators continue to rank among the top in China's super large first tier cities.

In order to protect wetland ecological resources and strengthen ecological barriers, the Guangzhou Municipal Planning and Natural Resources Bureau has coordinated the construction and restoration of mangrove forests in Nansha wetlands. Local suitable mangrove tree species have been selected, and a scientific strategy of "layered canopy control+three-dimensional community construction" has been adopted. A total of 43.3 hectares of mangrove forests have been constructed and 65.4 hectares have been ecologically restored. In April 2025, the "the Pearl River Delta Estuary Marine Ecological Restoration Demonstration" project led by Guangzhou Municipal Planning and Natural Resources Bureau was successfully incorporated into the United Nations "Marine Science for Sustainable Development Decade" framework, marking that the coastal wetland protection in Guangzhou has reached the international leading level.

The Nansha Wetland is located in the core area of the Greater Bay Area, surrounded by port hubs, intelligent manufacturing industrial parks, and cross-border e-commerce pilot zones. The wisdom of Nansha wetlands lies in protecting them not in a vacuum, but in development.

Wetland bird return: "Guangzhou's kidney" becomes a "paradise for migratory birds"

The Central Wetland Park of the Greater Bay Area is located at the southernmost end of Guangzhou, between the 18th and 19th streams of Wanqingsha Town in Nansha District. It is the largest coastal mangrove wetland in Guangzhou.

In 1999, due to the discovery of tens of thousands of red billed gulls in this coastal estuary wetland, the government decisively halted land reclamation and turned to ecological conservation. Nowadays, the total area of wetlands is over 9000 acres, including 3400 acres in the first phase and about 6000 acres in the second phase. The good natural ecological environment plays an important role in preventing wind and waves, conserving water and soil, and regulating climate in the surrounding areas, and is known as the "kidney of Guangzhou". At the same time, it is the most well preserved coastal estuarine wetland ecosystem in the Pearl River Delta, with 21 species of mangrove plants and over 200 species of birds monitored. Among them, the observation peak of the national first-class protected animal, the black faced spoonbill, has increased from 18 in the early days to 91. As a key habitat on the migration route of migratory birds from East Asia to Australasia, the wetland has recorded more than 200 species of birds, with nearly 100000 wintering migratory birds every year. It is one of the most concentrated habitats of migratory birds in the the Pearl River Estuary, and is known as the "Paradise of Migratory Birds".

To safeguard wetland ecology, the Central Wetland Park in the Greater Bay Area has established a wetland bird monitoring system, equipped with over 65 scientific research monitoring equipment and stations such as ecological meteorological stations and bird monitoring devices, to achieve monitoring of multiple factors such as atmosphere, hydrology, and biodiversity; Promote the construction of smart wetlands (Ecological Brain 1.0), achieve real-time collection and intelligent analysis of ecological data, provide scientific support for cultural and tourism activities, and ensure that cultural and tourism development does not damage the ecological environment. At the same time, we will continue to promote habitat optimization projects, implement projects such as land reclamation and wetland restoration, mangrove forest expansion and quality improvement, and shallow water habitat transformation, and create differentiated habitats for bird breeding, foraging, and habitat at different levels. In addition, a normalized ecological management and protection mechanism has been implemented, and a management and protection system for mangrove forests, pest control, water quality monitoring, etc. has been established to maintain the stability of wetland ecosystems.

Waterbird Paradise ": Experience the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature

The Nansha Waterbird World Ecological Park, adjacent to the Central Wetland Park of the Greater Bay Area, covers an area of approximately 300 acres and is a comprehensive wetland park that integrates ecological protection, science education, and leisure tourism. The park is home to 38 species of nearly 4000 waterfowl, including 12 species and over 400 of national first and second level protected animals. The green and water coverage rate is as high as 90%, making it a rare "waterbird paradise" in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area. Providing a place for tourists to get close to nature and admire rare waterbirds, visitors can experience the unique atmosphere of wetland ecology and Southeast Asian culture blending while strolling.

Here, various first-class and second-class protected waterfowl such as Cuban flamingos, West African crowned cranes, white naped cranes, and white pelicans live leisurely in natural release; The black swan snuggles up warmly, while the peacock trail seems deserted. Tourists get up close to rare bird species and experience the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature in the ecological foundation of Nansha, Guangzhou.

The park cleverly integrates ecological concepts and humanistic aesthetics. From the bamboo bridge to the bamboo dome, the Southeast Asian style buildings here cleverly blend ecological concepts and engineering technology. The ingenious design of each structural node contains cutting-edge exploration of green building materials. Bamboo structures and waterbirds complement each other, providing visitors with a unique space to immerse themselves in wetland ecology and observe the natural behavior of birds.

■ Written by: Lin Gangwei, Liang Xiaojing, reporter of New Express ■ Cinematography: Li Ao, reporter of New Express

(Author's New Express)