In Tantou Village, in Nansha District of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, mangroves were once little more than ordinary shoreline plants to many residents. Huang Jinhua, the village's Party secretary, recalled growing up catching fiddler crabs and river shrimp along the beach without giving much thought to the mangroves around them. That changed in 2019, when a powerful typhoon struck the area, and the water level rose so quickly that villagers began preparing to evacuate. But the tide eventually receded, prompting residents to recognise the role the mangroves played as natural coastal protection. The village began organising regular beach cleanups and carrying out pest and disease control for the plants. What started as a local effort later grew into a more organised conservation programme involving researchers, volunteers, students and residents. The village now recycles plastic collected from its mangroves into silk-like scarves, which are given to volunteers as a reminder of their efforts. This inspiring transformation demonstrates how genuine community engagement and scientific collaboration can turn environmental awareness into meaningful, sustained conservation action benefiting both nature and local livelihoods.
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