Cycas debaoensis is assessed as Critically Endangered. The population decline has been high in the past and it is known that >1,200 plants (50% of the population) have been removed in the past 15 years, while there is also ongoing habitat conversion for agriculture too. This suggests that the overall decline over three generations may exceed 80%.

Cycas debaoensis occurs in a relatively small area in the adjoining provinces of Guangxi and Yunnan in China. Sub-populations occur near Fuping Village in Debao County, Dingye in Napo county and Banshui in Baise City county all in Guangxi Province; and near Gula in the Funing county of Yunnan. It has been recorded from 600 to 1,100 m asl. The different subpopulations are interpreted as representing four locations.

From a study done in 2005, the total population surveyed comprised 1,125 plants in the wild. Several new sub-populations have been discovered (Zheng et al. 2017) and it is estimated that there are 1,000-3,000 plants in the wild (A. Lindström pers. comm.). The extent of the population prior to the collecting of plants over the past few decades is unknown so a direct measurement of the rate of decline is not possible. However, based on the extent of removal of plants from the wild, the decline is precautionarily estimated at between 60% and 80% over the past 60 years (< two generations), and so the ongoing rate over a three generation time period is highly likely to exceed 80%.

This species grows in secondary subtropical evergreen broad-leafed forest. Plants are found scattered on open slopes of limestone hills sparsely covered by shrubs and small trees. Almost all cycads grow in cracks or in thin soil near the edges of limestone and the red soil is derived from sandstone and limestone with a pH of 5.0-6.5.

Human disturbance within the habitat of Cycas debaoensis is evident. The subpopulation near Fuping Village is seriously depleted due to commercial harvesting. From 1997 to 2002, about 1,000 plants, mostly female trees, were harvested. At the Gula subpopulation, about 200 mature cycads were found in the gardens of two villagers. These plants had trunks of more than 15 cm in diameter and had been harvested from the neighbouring wild subpopulation. Near the Dingye subpopulation, some slopes have been planted with maize, which has a strong impact on the cycad population.

Cycas debaoensis is collected for ornamental purposes.

Cycas debaoensis is listed in Appendix II of the CITES Appendices. Zheng et al. (2017) records presence in the Huanglian Mountain Reserve and Laohutiao and the County Reserve of Gulong Mountain and Defu, both in Guangxi, China. There are plans to establish a Debao Cycad Reserve. A cottage industry to save Cycas debaoensis in China has been started. Cycas debaoensis was assessed as CR B1b(iii,v)c(i,ii,iv) in the threatened species list for Chinese plants (Qin et al. 2017) but the population assessed here does not meet the criteria for listing as CR under criterion B1. Recovery and reintroduction projects have been initiated at four sites and the planned reintroduction of >7,000 plants is resulting in an increase in these subpopulations.