China’s Biodiversity Efforts Expand Beyond Protected Areas Through Community Partnerships
China’s biodiversity conservation initiatives are extending beyond designated protected areas, thanks to partnerships involving volunteers, researchers, businesses, and government agencies. These collaborations are safeguarding species and habitats in diverse ways, as evidenced by examples from wetlands, fishing communities, and an urban zoo.
Published on October 29, 2026, this article highlights successful multi-stakeholder strategies for biodiversity conservation at China's Weitou Bay Wetland and Sanniang Bay in Guangxi.
Weitou Bay Wetland: A Success Story
Weitou Bay Wetland in Quanzhou, Fujian, has become a crucial wintering ground for the critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper, hosting over 1% of the global population in each of the past three winters. This wetland is not a formal protected area, yet it plays a vital role in the species' conservation.
The spoon-billed sandpiper's breeding grounds are in Russia's Far East, and they migrate along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, relying on stopover and wintering sites. However, only about 15% of suitable habitats for this species are within protected areas, as noted in a study.
The China Mangrove Conservation Foundation (MCF) and Beijing Forestry University initiated a spoon-billed sandpiper conservation project in 2018. Surveys between 2019 and 2026 revealed additional wintering sites, many outside protected areas, emphasizing the need for expanded conservation efforts.
The MCF partnered with local bird-watching groups and government departments in 2025 to establish a conservation station at Weitou Bay Wetland. This collaboration involves bird-watching groups conducting regular monitoring and patrols, while local prosecutors contribute through public-interest litigation. Villagers are also forming their own patrol teams.
Community-Driven Conservation in Sanniang Bay
In Sanniang Bay, Qinzhou, Guangxi, fishermen in a community outside a nature reserve are actively involved in protecting horseshoe crabs caught incidentally in fishing nets. Song Xin from the Farmers' Seed Network explained their efforts.