Sanya's Qingmei Harbor joins list of Hainan's key wetlands

The Forestry Department of Hainan Province and the Department of Natural Resources and Planning of Hainan Province recently announced the fifth list of key provincial-level wetlands — with Sanya's Qingmei Harbor Wetland making the cut.

It is Sanya's second key provincial-level wetland recognized by the provincial authorities, coming in the wake of the designation of the Sanya Mangrove Wetland. It adds yet another ecological highlight to the ever-popular tropical resort city, increasing the total number of key provincial-level wetlands in Hainan to an even dozen.

An aerial view of part of Qingmei Harbor Wetland, showing the pristine and dense mangrove forests that flourish on both riverbanks. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

The wetland is part of the Sanya Qingmei Harbor Mangrove Nature Reserve, spanning 73.21 hectares, with some 71.97 ha classified as wetlands.

The reserve features three types of wetlands: Mangrove forests, river surfaces and pond surfaces. The area simply thrives with life as tides come and go — creating a harmonious environment of water and forest that is filled with the ebullient sounds of birds.

The whole show makes it one of the most biodiverse mangrove areas in Sanya and it's also a prime natural site for studying tropical estuarine ecosystems.

A simply splendid view of Qingmei Harbor Wetland in Sanya, where lush mangroves line the river. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

It's been reported that the yellow-breasted bunting (Emberiza aureola), a bright yellow bird that is a top protected avian species in China, has been spotted there.

The wetland also provides a habitat for 15 other nationally protected species, including the Pacific reef-egret (Egretta sacra), the Eurasian curlew (Numenius arquata) and the white-throated kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis).

To top it off, the area is a perfect gene bank for mangroves, boasting one of the richest collections of native mangrove species in the country.

It hosts 19 mangrove species, 18 of which are native to Hainan. It includes a dozen true mangrove species — representing 48 percent of China's native true mangroves and six semi-mangrove species, which make up 55 percent of the country's native semi-mangroves.

Mangroves flourish on the riverbank, while an egret gracefully pirouettes above the water of Qingmei Harbor Wetland. [Photo/Sanya Daily]

An official from the Sanya municipal bureau of forestry said that Sanya was actively moving towards being recognized as a key national wetland and was aiming to become an international wetland city.

This recent inclusion is believed to have provided invaluable experience for the application process and strengthened the foundation for achieving international wetland city status. It will also help Sanya to speed up the development of a comprehensive wetland protection system.

The city will go on to improve its management practices, boost its investment in its environmental restoration and organize regular activities like birdwatching sessions and science workshops.

All in all, these efforts are designed to encourage more locals and tourists to engage with, understand and to protect the wetlands.