Expats explore wonders of mangrove nature reserve

Video by Lin Jianping

视频制作：林建平

On a drizzling Sunday morning, a group of about 20 expat photographers and nature enthusiasts from 12 countries briefly escaped the urban jungle and embarked on a trip to an urban oasis — Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve, located in the northeast part of Shenzhen Bay.

周日上午，伴随着时断时续的细雨，来自12个国家（美国、英国、俄罗斯、澳大利亚、新加坡、马来西亚、日本、捷克共和国、意大利、菲律宾、玻利维亚和巴基斯坦）的约20名外籍摄影师和自然爱好者短暂地逃离喧嚣都市的钢筋水泥，走进位于深圳湾东北部的静谧城市绿洲 —— 福田红树林国家级自然保护区。

A view of the Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve. Lin Jianping

福田红树林国家级自然保护区一景。林建平 摄

The event was organized by EYESHENZHEN.COM and Shenzhen Daily, and supported by the Guangdong Neilingding Futian National Nature Reserve Administration.

本次活动由深圳英文门户网站EyeShenzhen （www.eyeshenzhen.com）和英文《深圳日报》主办，并得到广东内伶仃福田国家级自然保护区管理局的大力支持。

Expat photographers and nature enthusiasts attending the trip pose for a group photo at the entrance of the nature reserve Sunday morning. Lin Jianping

参加本次活动的外籍摄影师和自然爱好者在自然保护区入口合影留念。林建平 摄

Guided by Dr. Yang Qiong, professor of engineering at the Guangdong Neilingding Futian National Nature Reserve Administration, the group, consisting of expats from the U.S., the U.K., Russia, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, the Czech Republic, Italy, the Philippines, Bolivia, and Pakistan, walked through the dense mangrove forests. They stopped at several points to learn about mangroves, and admire and capture the beauty of the unique ecosystem with their cameras.

在广东内伶仃福田国家级自然保护区管理局教授级高级工程师杨琼博士的带领和讲解下，一行人穿行在茂密的红树林中。期间，他们在多个地点停留，了解红树林的知识，沉浸式欣赏并用相机记录了美丽独特的红树林生态系统。

Yang explained to the visitors the history of the nature reserve and the importance of mangroves to the coastal ecosystem.

杨琼博士首先介绍了自然保护区的发展变迁，随后讲解了红树林对沿海生态系统的重要性。

Dr. Yang Qiong (1st R) with the Guangdong Neilingding Futian National Nature Reserve Administration introduces to the expats flora at the Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve. Lin Jianping

广东内伶仃福田国家级自然保护区管理局教授级高级工程师杨琼博士为外籍摄影师和自然爱好者介绍福田红树林国家级自然保护区内植物。林建平 摄

She also highlighted the need for conservation and restoration efforts to protect mangrove forests from human activities such as logging and fishing.

她还强调了红树林保护修复工作的重要性，以及如何保护它们不受人类活动（如伐木和捕鱼）的影响。

J. Kevin Janow (R) from the United States and his daughter observe birds using a telescope. Lin Songtao

来自美国的J. Kevin Janow和女儿通过望远镜观察鸟类。林松涛 摄

Yang also pointed out various bird species that call the reserve home. Along the way, the expats used a telescope to watch a flock of birds preening and foraging in gei wai (excavated ponds used for shrimp and fish farming), including common redshanks, dunlins, common moorhens, little egrets and grey herons.

杨琼博士还带大家认识了在红树林自然保护区栖息生活的鸟类朋友。在导览途中，访客们通过望远镜观察了一群在基围（用于养虾和养鱼的开挖池塘）中捕食梳理羽毛的水鸟，包括红脚鹬、黑腹滨鹬、黑水鸡、小白鹭和苍鹭。

Black-faced spoonbills and other birds can be observed via the real-time video monitoring system at a bird-watching pavilion at the nature reserve. Wang Haolan

通过保护区观鸟屋内的实时视频监控画面，可以观测到黑脸琵鹭和其他鸟类。王皓岚 摄

Via a real-time video monitoring system at a bird-watching pavilion, the sightseers spotted black-faced spoonbills perching on the branches of the mangroves.

在保护区内的观鸟屋，通过实时视频监控画面，大家观测到在远处红树林栖息的黑脸琵鹭。

Soon afterwards on their way back, they encountered and were wowed by a great egret flying over the lush mangrove forests, and some of them quickly raised their cameras, attempting to snap shots of the elegant, dazzling white bird.

在回程途中，他们遇到了一只在茂密的红树林上空飞过的大白鹭。大家纷纷惊叹于它的优雅身姿，并立刻举起手中相机，试图定格这一惊喜瞬间。

For Teo Wei Tiong, a Singaporean who has been living in Shenzhen for almost 20 years, the trip was an educational, refreshing and enjoyable experience.

在深圳生活了近20年的新加坡人张伟忠认为，这次旅行很有教育意义，令人耳目一新、身心愉悦。

Teo Wei Tiong (L) from Singapore and Husnain Raza from Pakistan observe birds via the real-time monitoring system at a bird-watching pavilion at the nature reserve. Wang Haolan

来自新加坡的张伟忠（左）和来自巴基斯坦的Husnain Raza通过保护区观鸟屋内的实时视频监控画面观测鸟类。王皓岚 摄

“The trip is very educational because it’s like having some new lessons for us. At the same time, it’s refreshing with the rain, and we see a lot of green, so it’s also enjoyable,” he said.

"这次保护区之旅很有教育意义，我们学到了很多新知识。这里绿意盎然，伴着丝丝细雨，空气也很清新，令人感觉十分愉悦。" 他说。

Teo said he also gained a newfound perspective of different species of mangroves and the preservation efforts of the government and the reserve.

他还表示，通过本次保护区之旅，他了解了不同的红树林种类，以及政府和保护区为保护红树林所做的努力。

Raza takes photos of birds at the nature reserve using his camera with a telephoto lens.

Raza使用长焦相机捕捉保护区内鸟类的身影。刘旭东 摄

Husnain Raza, a postdoctoral research fellow at Shenzhen University’s Institute for Advanced Study, who studies food science and engineering, said he was “shocked” to see a nature reserve in the center of the city, adding that he was inspired by what he had learned about the mangroves for his research.

在深圳大学高等研究院从事食品科学和工程研究的博士后研究员Husnain Raza说，他惊讶于城市中心竟隐藏着这样一片自然保护区，并补充说，此次红树林自然保护区之旅，对他的科研产生了一定的启发。

“I’m working on rice starch. We know rice is one of the reasons for diabetes because it is readily digested and can raise blood sugar. So, I’m wondering that maybe we could extract the starch of tannins from mangroves to make some product to reduce digestion,” Raza explained.

“我目前的研究课题是大米淀粉。大米是造成糖尿病的常见原因之一，因为它易于消化并且会提高血糖。因此，我在想，也许我们或许可以从红树林的树皮中提取单宁的淀粉，制成可以减缓消化的食品。” Raza解释道。

Enza Migliore from Italy at an interview with Shenzhen Daily. Liu Xudong

来自意大利的Enza Migliore接受英文《深圳日报》记者采访。刘旭东 摄

Enza Migliore, an assistant professor from the School of Design at Southern University of Science and Technology, told Shenzhen Daily that she was very impressed by the tranquility and the quality of air in the reserve. “It’s very impressive that in the middle of the crowded technological city, we have such a quiet place where you can really breathe the fresh air and admire the beauty of the mangroves,” Migliore said.

来自意大利的Enza Migliore是南方科技大学设计学院的助理教授，Migliore告诉记者，她惊叹于城市中心这片静谧的自然保护区，这里空气质量很高。“令人印象深刻的是，在这座繁华的科技之都，我们有这样一个安静的地方，你可以尽情呼吸新鲜空气，欣赏美丽的红树林，还能看到陆地与海洋交汇的地方，真是神奇的体验。” Migliore说。

A close-up photo of a passion fruit flower. Wang Haolan

自然保护区内的百香果花。王皓岚 摄

The Italian said she appreciates the city government’s efforts to shift from a human-centered development approach towards urban nature spaces to prioritize the protection of birds. Migliore suggested that the reserve could improve the design of its facilities such as the manmade walking trails to make people a part of nature instead of being an obvious observer.

Migliore赞赏深圳市政府在环境保护方面所做的努力，例如从以人为主的城市发展模式转变，在城市中划定自然保护区保护鸟类。这位设计专家建议，保护区可以改进内部设施的设计，如减少人造步道，模糊人与自然之间的界限，使人们成为大自然的一部分，而不是突兀的外来旁观者。

Silenko Maksim (R) from Russia and his son take a stroll at the nature reserve. Liu Xudong

来自俄罗斯的Silenko Maksim和儿子在自然保护区内漫步。刘旭东 摄

Spanning about 9 kilometers along the coastline with a total area of 367.6 hectares, the nature reserve is the smallest mangrove reserve in China and the only national nature reserve in urban areas in China. According to the reserve’s official website, the reserve is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna, including 16 native mangrove species, which are an essential part of the coastal ecosystem. The reserve also serves as a wintering site and stopover for nearly 100,000 migratory birds every year.

福田红树林自然保护区长约9公里、占地面积367.6公顷，是中国面积最小的红树林保护区，也是中国唯一处于城市腹地的国家级自然保护区。据介绍，该自然保护区主要保护对象包括红树林和鸟，保护区内有原生红树植物16种，它们是沿海生态系统的重要组成部分。此外，每年有近10万只长途迁徒的候鸟在此越冬和停歇，是东亚-澳大利西亚候鸟迁徙通道上重要的“越冬地”“中转站”和“加油站”。

Matteo Convertino from Italy takes photos of flora at the nature reserve. Wang Haolan

来自意大利的Matteo Convertino拍摄自然保护区内的植物。王皓岚 摄

On Feb. 2, the Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve was recognized as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention.

今年2月2日，福田红树林国家级自然保护区被列入“国际重要湿地”名录。

An aerial photo of the Futian Mangrove National Nature Reserve. Liu Xudong

福田红树林国家级自然保护区鸟瞰图。刘旭东 摄

The Shenzhen Municipal Public Works Bureau recently released an open tendering for the design of the exhibition part of the Shenzhen Mangrove Wetland Museum. The national-level museum will be located at the junction of Shenzhen Bay coastal reclamation zone and the corridor featuring both mountains and seas, and is close to major urban facilities and areas such as the mangrove nature reserve, Shenzhen Bay Park, Shenzhen International Garden and Flower Expo Park and the Futian integrated transportation hub.

近日，深圳市建筑工务署发布招标预公告，由国家林业和草原局与深圳市政府共同建设的深圳红树林湿地博物馆，现面向全球展陈设计团队开放预报名及投标意向登记。作为国家级博物馆，深圳红树林湿地博物馆选址于深圳湾滨海休闲带与山海连廊交界点，紧邻红树林国家级自然保护区、深圳湾公园、深圳国际园林花卉博览园及福田交通综合枢纽等重要的城市设施与特色片区。

China proposed establishing an international mangrove center in Shenzhen on Nov. 5 last year as an important site of global mangrove preservation and cooperation. A draft resolution in this regard was officially passed at the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP14) on Nov. 13, 2022.

中国于2022年11月5日提议在深圳建立“国际红树林中心”。同年11月13日，《湿地公约》第十四届缔约方大会正式通过了关于设立“国际红树林中心”决议草案, 宣布全球首个“国际红树林中心”将落地深圳，这也是全球首个红树林保护交流合作中心。

Husnain Raza (Pakistan)

Tsuruta Masayuki (Japan)

Angelie Jane Ubaña (the Philippines)

Teo Wei Tiong (Singapore)

Mattero Convertino (Italy)

J. Kevin Janow (the U.S.)