FUTIAN Mangrove Ecological Park produces 192 million yuan (US$30.27 million) in total economic value of all ecological products and services per year, according to an accounting report on the park’s gross ecosystem product (GEP).

China’s first GEP accounting report of a city park was jointly released by Shenzhen Mangrove Wetlands Conservation Foundation (MCF) and Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences on Monday.

GEP is a measure of the aggregate monetary value of ecosystem-related goods and services in a given region and accounting period. Shenzhen is China’s first city that officially released and implemented a GEP accounting system, of which its use has been deepened in a wide range of sectors.

The report showed that the park, with its huge ecological value, is an important ecological corridor and habitat for wildlife in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, including leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis), small Indian civets (Viverricula indica), common otters (Lutra lutra) and over 300 black-faced spoonbills (Platalea minor).

The park conserves around 723,000 cubic meters of water annually and has reduced cooling costs by 3,009 kWh and urban rainstorm runoff by 140,000 cubic meters. Its small and large lakes like Hongyu and Lanyun lakes, provide freshwater to benefit the city’s biodiversity.

Additionally, the park plays a significant role in carbon dioxide absorption, air purification and water self-purification, generating ecosystem regulation services value worth 31.07 million yuan per year.

The park’s cultural service value is also outstanding, receiving an average 1.3 million visits per year, with 11,000 among them benefiting from the park’s science popularization education. These cultural and ecological products’ average value has reached about 161 million yuan annually.

(Xia Yuanjie)