Yingwuzhou Wetlands showcases Jinshan coastal ecological restoration progress

Reed beds at Jinshan's Yingwuzhou Wetlands. [Photo/WeChat ID: jinshanrongmei]

Wind moving through reed beds and birds crossing the sky create a tranquil summer scene along Shanghai's Jinshan district coastline, where Yingwuzhou Wetlands has been featured in coverage by Nature magazine as a case study in ecological restoration.

Located near Jinshan City Beach scenic area, Yingwuzhou Wetlands covers about 232,000 square meters. It provides habitat for more than 100 bird species, including the endangered reed parrotbill (Paradoxornis heudei), and serves as a stopover site along regional migratory flyways.

Yingwuzhou Wetlands. [Photo/WeChat ID: jinshanrongmei]

Residents visit Yingwuzhou Wetlands. [Photo/WeChat ID: jinshanrongmei]

The wetlands function as a natural purification system, processing around 6,000 cubic meters of water per day and reducing inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations by about 40 percent, while also helping buffer coastal areas against wave impact and shoreline erosion.

The site was formed through a long-term ecological restoration project launched in 2015. It is Shanghai's first national-level artificial shoreline restoration demonstration project, involving shoreline stabilization, native vegetation restoration, and tidal hydrodynamic regulation.

By the end of 2024, monitoring data recorded 133 bird species at the site, including nearly 30 rare and endangered species, reflecting continued improvement in coastal habitat quality along the Jinshan section of Hangzhou Bay.

Authorities said that under the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), Jinshan will further strengthen coastal ecological restoration, biodiversity monitoring, integrated conservation, education, and research, enhancing long-term ecosystem resilience.