Exploring the Estuary: A Classroom in the Mangroves

BEIJING — Mangroves are often described as the “green lungs of the ocean” and are a vital part of estuarine ecosystems.

Supported by the FAO-GEF Demonstration of Estuarine Biodiversity Conservation, Restoration and Protected Area Networking in China, the Guangdong Zhuhai Qi'ao-Dangan Island Provincial Nature Reserve has achieved notable progress in both biodiversity conservation and community development.

In this episode, Sun Zhengzheng, Head of the Sustainable Resource Use Division at the reserve administration, introduces the unique adaptations of mangrove plants and the diverse wildlife found among the tides. Zhong Xinlan, a resident of the Qi'ao Community and founder of Piaoxiang Dried Tangerine Peel Studio, tells how the reserve’s education program supported her in developing educational materials and courses, and how she transformed her dried tangerine peel business into a space where visitors can experience the culture of aged tangerine peel.