Identifying key areas for ecological protection and restoration through scientific methods holds significant importance. By assessing the ecosystem service function of Xiangshui County, analyzing the existing ecological problems, using MCR model to put forward the optimization plan of ecological security pattern, and explore the key direction of ecological protection and restoration of typical counties in the east coast. The results showed that: ① Three main ecological problems should be paid attention to in the ecological protection and restoration work in the study area: the reduction of coastal wetland area, the lack of connectivity of river network and water system, and the fragmentation of cultivated land in some areas; ② The ecological source area of 151.9 km² was identified, concentrated in the coastal area; 376.4 km ecological corridor is generated, showing a “north-south symmetry”; ③ Based on optimizing and constructing the ecological security pattern plan of “one screen, two cores and three belts”, there are three key areas for ecological protection and restoration are identified, and the main tasks such as protecting coastal wetlands and unimpeded river network were proposed to build an ecological security system in which the sea and river are interconnected. This research can provide a thinking path and research experience for the ecological protection and restoration work and planning compilation of counties in the eastern coastal area.