South China's Guangdong features nation's largest mangrove coverage

Lush mangrove forests are thick with vegetation in Nansha district in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

South China's Guangdong province boasts of having the largest mangrove coverage in China, with a total area of 18,641 hectares, according to a recent forest survey.

According to the Department of Natural Resources of Guangdong province, the mangrove area is composed of 14,224 hectares of mangrove forests, 46 hectares of mangrove plants that have not yet developed into a forest, and 4,371 hectares of shoals suitable for mangroves.

A mangrove is a shrub or small tree that grows in coastal saline or brackish water, and is a significant player in disaster prevention and protection of species and the environment.

Lush mangrove forests are thick with vegetation in Nansha district in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The mangrove forests in China are mainly scattered in coastal regions like East China's Fujian province, Guangdong, and South China's Hainan province and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Guangdong has occupied a leading position in terms of mangrove coverage for years, in spite of the damage caused by frequent typhoons in recent years.

The provincial natural resource department said the major difficulties in forest conservation come from the lack of money, technology and regulations. Thus they will carry out surveys and put forward the targeted protective measures for the precious species.