GAC Honda has brought its mangrove conservation program to Zhanjiang, Guangdong, for a fourth consecutive year, organizing volunteers to plant seedlings and remove invasive species in the coastal wetlands. The initiative, which began in 2023, has so far restored more than 567 mu (about 37.8 hectares) of mangrove forest in the Zhanjiang area, with seedling survival rates above 80% — well ahead of the national standard of 45%, according to Sina Auto.
Science-based restoration and public engagement
The project, run jointly with the SEE Foundation and the Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve Administration, aims to protect at least 1,800 mu of mangroves over five years, with a total investment exceeding 25 million yuan (about $3.5 million). It is currently the largest mangrove restoration effort in China's auto industry, according to the company. Unlike simple tree planting, the program emphasizes scientific restoration, relying on professional guidance to activate the natural self-repair capacity of tidal flats.
This year's on-site action in Zhanjiang brought media and car owners into the intertidal zone to plant locally cultivated mangrove saplings and clear three-leaf fish vine, an invasive species that strangles mangrove growth. The event also featured educational exhibits and interactive installations, such as a "mangrove compliments" photo spot and natural soundscapes, to make wetland conservation accessible to the public.
Ecological gains and broader green efforts
Beyond Zhanjiang, the project has cleared 250 mu of invasive vine in Wenchang, Hainan, with plans to expand protection to 1,250 mu. Bird monitoring through early 2026 recorded 93 species in the project areas, totaling over 150,000 individuals, including three first-class nationally protected species such as the spoon-billed sandpiper and black-faced spoonbill. The restored mangroves have also strengthened coastal storm barriers, benefiting about 110,000 local residents.
GAC Honda's green initiatives extend beyond blue carbon (coastal wetland carbon sinks) to green carbon (terrestrial forest carbon sinks). Since 2008, the company has planted about 2.13 million trees in Inner Mongolia, greening over 24,000 mu of land, and has supported water-source conservation forests in the Dongjiang River headwaters and high-altitude ecological restoration in the Sanjiangyuan region. Internally, the company's new energy plant in the development zone integrates low-carbon practices throughout vehicle manufacturing.
The Zhanjiang action is not just a one-off restoration effort but a mobilization of social forces, the company said. GAC Honda plans to continue scientific mangrove management, biodiversity monitoring, blue carbon value exploration, and public education, aiming to build a long-term model for automakers' participation in ecological protection.
Based on reporting by 新浪汽车. Edited and published in English by geisou.
