Beibu Gulf is located in the northwest of South China Sea. It is a natural semi-closed large gulf. It faces Leizhou Peninsular and Hainan Island to the east and Vietnam to the west. Beibu Gulf is an important coastal biodiversity hotpot not only for China but for the globe. It has diverse ecosystem such as the national largest mangrove forests, wide inter-tidal zone, the reef beach and sea-grass bed, which provide significant habitats for many rare and endangered species including black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor), Spoon-billed Sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus) and Chinese horseshoe crab (Tachypleus tridentatus) etc. 44 ethnic minority groups are living in this area and their livelihood closely relates to the coastal wetland. Meanwhile, the Beibu Gulf is the first important international economic cooperation zone ratified by the country under the jurisdiction of Guangxi Gulf Economic Zone in 2008. In 2017, the State Council ratified the construction of Beibu Gulf national level urban agglomeration. Economic cooperation zone and urbanization bring both opportunity and challenge to Beibu Gulf coastal wetland conservation. On the one hand, economic development facilitate the transformation of local fishery and increase the livelihood of local fishermen; on the other hand, the economic development also brings population increasing, land exploitation and industry construction, which increase the pressure to the coastal wetland environment.

Main problems:
1. lacking of survey and long term monitoring on benthos of Beibu Gulf coastal wetland and lacking of research on the local community's use of benthos resources
2. lacking of a platform for stakeholders' multi-participation, cross-cutting sharing and communication and cooperation in this region.
3. lacking of targeted conservation measures and joint actions in this region; the conservation impact to public and local community is limited; the sustainable use of local fishery resources needs to be promoted

Solutions/activities:
1. identify 10 key coastal wetland habitats in Beibu Gulf area and conduct a citizen science-based coastal wetland benthos diversity monitoring
2. select 3 pilot communities to conduct survey on local fishermen's use of coastal wetland species and consumption status
3. launch 'Beibu Gulf Coastal Wetland Biodiversity Monitoring Report and Conservation Suggestions' and organize workshop to discuss how to implement conservation action
4. organize local partners' workshop to share coastal wetland biodiversity monitoring and conservation technology, cases and successful results to facilitate more partners' monitoring and conservation actions
5. jointly organize coastal wetland naturalistic observation challenge with stakeholders to raise public awareness
6. cooperate with Qingdao Marine Ecology Research Association to hold 'coastal wetland friendly seafood consumption action' to advocate the sustainable use of coastal wetland economic species and reduce the consumption of threatened species
7. work with Dugong National Nature Reserve to conduct community participatory ecological restoration activities, monitor and clean alien invasive species, replant mangroves
8. train 10 youth wetland docents from Dugong National Nature Reserve adjacent schools and organize ecotourism activities and publicize community sustainable fishery

Anticipated results/outcomes:
1. 10 key habitats monitored and 11,000ha. coastal wetland conserved and 5 nature reserved influenced, 50 people participated as citizen scientist
2. 20 community members influenced by sustainable fishery and 20 citizen scientists participated
3. 10 stakeholders including 6 governmental agencies influenced by 'Beibu Gulf Coastal Wetland Biodiversity Monitoring Report and Conservation Suggestions'
4. 10 partners influenced by citizen science monitoring and 2 joined citizen science monitoring and conservation
5. over 500 public participated in coastal wetland naturalistic observation challenge and 50000 people influenced by media report and social media outreach
6. a environmental friendly seafood consumption standard launched and at least 10 species sustainable consumed; 80 restaurants influenced by coastal wetland friendly seafood consumption action
7. about 5 ha. of wetland restored and 40 people participated in restoration activities
8. 20 people trained and 10 youth become coastal wetland docents; 50 people participated in ecotourism activities