Baseline information
Zhangjiang Estuary in Fujian is a wetland ecosystem reserve that mainly protects mangrove ecosystem, endangered species and high-quality aquatic germplasm resources in the southeast coasts of China. It is the most diverse and best-developed natural mangrove community on the north of the Tropic of Cancer in China. Mangroves, salt marshes e.g. reed marshes, short-leaf water chestnut saltmarshes were the dominant communities here. Kandelia obovata, Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Avicennia marina are the dominant species.The mangroves here has high natural attributes and typical mangrove community characteristics, so the reserve is of great value for conservation and research and is a treasure of wetland biodiversity.
The local residents in the Zhangjiang Estuary generally take up tidal flat aquaculture, farming, and working out as their main sources of income. There is a close relationship between the residents? daily life and mangrove conservation. Tidal flat aquaculture was an important income for the residents in Zhuta Village, located in the project area. In recent years, the reserve authorities have carried out part of the work of returning ponds to forests. The ongoing education and awareness on mangrove protection helped increasing the rates of returning ponds to forests. Meanwhile, looking for alternative livelihoods and ensuring the lives of residents in the area is also the focus of future protection of local mangrove forests.
Mangroves have ecological functions in terms of sequestering carbon, increasing carbon sinks and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Blue carbon has potential significance for the protection, management and restoration of mangroves, and is one of the global strategies curb climate change and global warming. In the global blue carbon voluntary market, there have been eleven mangrove carbon sink trading projects. In September 2021, the first project of blue carbon transaction in Fujian Province of China was successfully completed, based on the "Mangrove Carbon Sinks Afforestation Methodology" developed by the applicant, Dr. Luzhen Chen. This transaction is highly market-oriented, which is ?Clearing invasive Spartina alterniflora and planting mangroves, reflecting the coordination of biological invasion control and mangrove restoration, biodiversity protection and community development. Therefore, mangrove blue carbon trading can become a part of the alternative livelihoods for local communities. The development of future carbon trading models can provide financial support for both the restoration and protection of the mangroves and community development.
At the same time, the youth are the main force to fight against climate change in the future. The project offers great opportunities for the young generation to actually participate in blue carbon economics and carbon neutral activities. The rich experience of the green camp in the youth field and the project members? experience in the prot ection and restoration can promote the college students to become the main force of this project, helping them to take part in and complete the whole process of the project.
Main problems

?1?Alien species invasion and degradation of mangrove forests
The invasion of alien species represented by Spartina alterniflora is an important ecological problem that destroys the growth environment of mangroves. Spartina alterniflora invasion in Zhangjiang Estuary rapidly increased the beach elevation in the mangrove area, accelerated the landification of bare mudflats, and squeezed the living environment of the mangroves, which resulted in the degradation of the mangroves. It is necessary to remove and clear this alien species and restore mangroves in Zhangjiang Estuary.

?2? Lack of protection awareness and the ability to develop alternative livelihoods
Cutting down the mangroves and turning the area into aquaculture ponds has always been one of the largest problems in the Zhangjiang Estuary in the last few decades. In 2018, a report from Central Environmental Inspectorate of China showed that except the historical fish pond culture on the embankment, there were still a large number of floating aquaculture facilities in Zhangjiang Estuary. More serious was that some fishermen were engaged in production in the core area and buffer zone of the reserve.
It can be seen that tidal flat aquaculture is the main source of income for the residents in this area. The production and life of residents are closely related to mangroves. However, the occupation of coastal tidal flats will hinder the growth and expansion of mangroves, and will also cause the eutrophication to tidal water.

?3? The ecological and economic benefits of mangroves have not been highlighted
The carbon sink capacity of mangroves and the development of blue carbon trading have enabled the mangrove ecosystem to have an important ecological cashability, but the residents in this area have not yet obtained economic benefits from the protection. The balance of ecological and economic benefits of mangroves should be highlighted in future.
?4?The public, especially young people, have a poor understanding of blue carbon and low participation in mangrove protection
Young generation is the main force to fight against climate change in the future. It is an urgent need to develop projects and activities related to climate change, which can guide Chinese youth to participate in the issues jointly and deeply. Blue carbon as nature based solution to climatie change is a newly develop ecological and economic methods occurred currently. Young people generally have few chances to join the project and get knowledge of carbon neutrality, especially in blue carbon projects. Thus, we will design feasible projects based on blue carbon for them, so that they can deeply participate and well play the values of youth in ecological protecting and climate change mitigating actions.



Activities
Activity 1.1?Removal of Invasive alien species
Activity1.2?Mangrove planting
Activity2.1?Community survey
Activity2.2?Lectures in the community
Activity2.3?Vocational training
Activity3.1?Mangrove blue carbon trading
Activity3.2?Patrol the restoration area
Activity4.1?Workshop for college students
Activity4.2?Education forums in universities of China

Anticipated outcomes?1? Remove three hectares of invasive Spartina alterniflora within the protected area of the project site, and plant three hectare of native mangrove species for restoration.
?2? Release a community survey report, by presenting the current basic conditions of the local livelihood and economy within the project site, the residents? awareness of mangrove protection, the main difficulties in production and life, and the main contradictions between protection and development, etc.. Based on the results of survey, analyze the reasons and make suggestions;
Develop a series of nature courses and give at least five lectures for local residences, which enable about 1,000 persons from nearby communities to participate, in order to raise the awareness of mangrove protection;
Organize a workshop on alternative livelihood and carry out vocational training, making the local participants to acquire skills in mangrove ecological aquaculture, ecotourism accommodation and reception, explanations, mobile Internet applications and other aspects. The number of participants will be not less than 100 persons, and the female participation rate is expected to reach 70%.
?3? Develop a mangrove blue carbon trading project, complete a blue carbon deal of mangroves in the restoration area through blue carbon voluntary market, and achieve an increase of 300 tons of sinks. Each year, one local female forest ranger is recruited to patrol the mangroves and participate in mangrove management in the restoration area.. A total of three are recruited for three consecutive years.
?4? Encourage young college students from more than 20 colleges and universities in China to directly participate in the mangrove blue carbon project, and indirectl affect 1,000 students from more than 100 colleges and universities; form a 10-person blue carbon team of college students to participate in the mangrove forests in the region for a long time conservation projects form a good and continuous interaction with the community.