China's Coastal Wetlands: Ecological Challenges, Restoration, and Management Suggestions

Coastal zones are defined as the areas where the land meets the sea. Although coast zones have significant resource and ecological value, they are ecologically vulnerable to human activities and natural disasters. In the past 70 years, the coastal wetlands of China have experienced ecological problems such as wetland degradation, coastal erosion, environmental pollution, and non-native species invasion caused by natural and man-made factors. China has taken a series of measures to control coastal degradation including coastline restoration, coastal wetland recovery, and coastal ecological corridor designation and development. These measures are reflected by longer areas of natural coastline, larger coastal wetland areas and stable numbers and diversity of species present in coastal ecosystems today. Although China's coastal restoration efforts have borne fruit, outstanding challenges remain: (1) many coastal ecosystems have yet to be improved; (2) many restoration projects have only a short duration; (3) the acceptance standards for restoration projects are not comprehensive; (4) many restoration projects are operated on a small scale; (5) the source of restoration funds is often limited to a single channel; and (6) no strong theoretical or practical support is provided for most projects. Efforts to protect and restore coastal zones often face great pressure and difficulties. The Chinese government has recognized that the protection and restoration of coastal wetlands requires the participation of the whole society, and that a working model of overall protection, systematic restorations and comprehensive management should be established. To deal with the challenges, the present study puts forward the following suggestions: (1) implement restoration projects systematically and on a large spatial scale; (2) improve the current project management system; (3) diversify the source of restoration funds; and (4) strengthen theoretical and technological research on coastal zone restoration. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.