Chen Siqi vankochensq@163.com A LEISURELY Friday evening turned into an adventure for a group of 12 expats who explored the Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve and participated in a vibrant mangrove-themed carnival. The event was held to celebrate the International Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems, which is observed annually July 26. To commemorate this occasion, EyeShenzhen, in partnership with the Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology, and Innovation Bureau, organized a special event that combined a guided tour of the mangrove reserve with a lively carnival. The event was also supported by the Guangdong Neilingding Futian National Nature Reserve Administration Bureau. ‘Enjoy exploring mangrove forests’ Dr. Xu Hualin, a senior engineer from the bureau, guided the tour, discussing the rich history of the reserve and the various plants and animals that inhabit the area. “I’m in love with nature. It provides me with a great opportunity to escape from this noisy, busy city,” said Mariia Petrovskaia, a Russian who has been living in Shenzhen for six years. Petrovskaia, a bird enthusiast who cares for five parrots at home, enjoyed exploring the mangrove forests, which serve as vital habitats for numerous bird species. “It’s amazing to see how many bird species live here. They get to enjoy their lives, catch fish, build their nests, and live unbothered by the noise of cars and crowds of people,” she explained. Although she acknowledged that it wasn’t peak bird-watching season, she still found the mangrove reserve to be a remarkable sanctuary. “If you explore the mangroves, you can still see and hear some of the resident birds.” ‘Each trip different’ This was the third visit to the reserve for Matteo Convertino, an associate professor at the Institute of Environment & Ecology at the Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School. “Each trip offers something different, whether due to the weather or ongoing restoration efforts,” Convertino said. The International Day for the Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems, celebrated annually July 26, was adopted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2015 and first celebrated in 2016. Its purpose is to raise awareness about the importance of mangrove ecosystems, recognize that they are unique, special, and vulnerable, and promote solutions for their sustainable management, conservation, and use. Convertino emphasized the importance of protecting all living creatures in the mangrove ecosystem, as each species plays a crucial role in maintaining the forest’s overall health. “In a megacity like Shenzhen, with a population of 22 million, the rich biodiversity is surprising, and that is what makes Shenzhen unique,” he said. After visiting the mangrove forest, the expats waited for a passing downpour to subside before continuing to a night carnival near the grasslands of the reserve. There, they navigated a maze with clues related to the black-faced spoonbill, marveled at light displays featuring local plant species, and shared their observations from the reserve visit. Covering over 367.64 hectares, the Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve is the only national nature reserve located in downtown Shenzhen. It is home to over 20 species of mangroves, including Kandelia candel, and has recorded more than 260 species of birds like black-faced spoonbills, Chinese egrets, and various tpyes of kingfishers. In February last year, the Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve was designated a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. China proposed the establishment of an international mangrove center in Shenzhen on Nov. 5, 2022 that would serve as an important site of global mangrove preservation and cooperation. A draft resolution for this initiative was officially passed at the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP14) on Nov. 13, 2022. The International Mangrove Center was officially established in Shenzhen in September last year. | 