China accounts for 25% of the new areas covered by trees in the world during the last 20 years. It came first in the world in reforestation efforts.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the voluntary tree planting campaign. This campaign mobilized governments at all levels and in cities and countryside. The forest cover rate reached 23.04%, compared to 12% in the 1980s.
In Changjiang Li Autonomous County of Hainan Island Province, starting in 1992, Tao Fengjiao and other fisherwomen cultivated 5.88 million trees on the quicksand and reforested 33,800 mu of land (2,253 hectares) for almost 30 years. As a result, Hainan Island has completely changed the game.
In the artificial forest of Saihanba of Hebei province, 3 generations of producers have reforested 1.12 million mu of fallow land (74,667 hectares). In the Great Khingan Mountains of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, 16,000 forest producers, who were once loggers, have become “forest wardens” who protect the forests. In other Chinese cities, such as Yulin City in Shaanxi Province, Youyu City in Shanxi Province, and Minqin City in Gansu Province, more and more forests are being created, and more in addition to better protected vegetation. “The Great Green Wall”, the project to plant trees to improve the environment in the northwest of the country, is spreading over the vast territory of China.
The Chinese have continued to deepen their knowledge of nature, starting with the constant search for plants adapted to local conditions. Then we have to protect the trees from bad weather and change the traditional concepts of exploitation. It is also necessary to take care of plants throughout their growth.
To fully understand and manage the relationship between economic development and environmental protection, China has realized that it is necessary neither to develop the economy at the expense of the environment, nor to slow down economic development for fear of pollution. Tree planting not only reforests the land, but also improves the well-being of the population.
Many forest and agricultural producers and pastoralists have been able to improve their quality of life with a stable income through poverty reduction through the development of local industries and ecological preservation. Ecological tourism in Kubuqi desert attracts many tourists. The flourishing ecological sectors generate considerable economic gains. In Saihanba Forest, “the yellow sands hid the sky and the birds couldn’t even find a single tree to rest” in the past. But today, the forests are immense and the tourists are numerous. Ecological sectors such as reforestation and forest tourism have helped 40,000 people get rich.
China’s remarkable progress in reforestation and the miracle of economic and social development show that, in accordance with the concept of green development, ecological preservation, environmental protection, economic development and improved welfare of the population are interconnected and complementary to each other.
“Achieving further progress in building ecological civilization” is one of the main objectives of economic and social development for the period of the 14th five-year plan (2021-2025). The 14th five-year plan has set itself the objective of reducing energy consumption per unit of GDP and reducing CO2 emissions per unit of GDP by 13.5% and 18%, respectively. The total emission of the main pollutants must continue to fall. The forest cover rate should reach 24.1%.
The specific objectives indicated the direction to follow for a modernization which promotes the harmonious coexistence between man and nature. With greater determination and unremitting efforts, China will be more beautiful and bring more benefits to its people.
By Yin Shuanghong, reporter for People’s Daily
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