Located in the southwest of China, Guizhou is reputed as the country’s “province of mountain park” as the number of world natural heritages here ranks first nationwide. However, such an inviting ecological destination was once a “barren land” with the most severe stone desertification. Over recent years, Guizhou has been adhering to the two bottom lines of development and ecology and striving to reap new achievements in ecological construction. It has overcome many difficulties while writing vivid footnotes one after another for the harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
Lucid waters and green mountains add to the beautiful landscape
In Guizhou, the area of grain plots returned to forestry remains leading nationwide, treated stony desertification area takes a leading position across the country, and the annual average increase of forest coverage rate is nationally leading…
To deeply implement the strategic positioning as the “pioneering area of ecological civilization” in the document numbered G.F.[2022] No. 2, Guizhou has identified the “roadmap” and “tasks” for its ecological construction. Dedicated to upholding the bottom lines of development and ecology, Guizhou maintains its biggest advantage of a fine ecological environment in development and competition while striving to reap new achievements in ecological construction.
On July 30, 2022, the provincial government and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment signed a cooperation agreement in Guiyang on building the pioneering area of ecological civilization, with full support for Guizhou in promoting green and low-carbon development, cracking down on relevant pollutions, protecting natural ecology, reforming ecological systems, and holding Eco Forum Global Guiyang, contributing to Guizhou’s high-quality development through high-quality eco-environmental protection.
Consolidate ecological protective screens to protect waters
Wujiang River is the No.1 river in Guizhou and the largest tributary to the south bank of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. In previous years, due to fragile ecology and serious environmental issues, Wujiang River was once on ecological alert. Also, Huawu Village, located by the bank of the Liuchong River in the upper reaches of the Wujiang River, suffered from severe soil erosion and water loss, serious environmental problems, and other issues.
On March 1, 2023, the Guizhou Province Wujiang River Protection Rules began to take effect, which stipulates 85 articles in 11 chapters covering the duties of different departments, enterprises, and local government in the protection of the river, the establishment of a compensation system for ecological protection, the improvement of risk management for the ecological environment of Wujiang River basin, and the effective measures for emergency disposal; each article was designed to remain effective and implementable to provide a strong and solid legal guarantee for promoting the ecological protection of the Wujiang River basin.
The institutional setting enjoys significant fruits. By adopting a series of governance measures, such as slope-to-terrace, returning grain plots to forestry, growing economic fruit trees, and prohibiting cage aquaculture, Huawu Village embarked on a green path integrating organic farming, cultivation under the woods, and ecological tourism. Villagers also engaged in the industries of the ecological fishery, vegetable, fruits, and livestock breeding, improving the ecological quality of rivers.
Preserve green development to embrace sustainable development
Haique Village in Hezhang County, Bijie, used to be a “widely-known” barren land. The bald mountains failed to produce grains and vegetables needed for people living there and even concerned the villagers during torrential floods. Due to over three decades of hard work, the bald mountains have turned green. Now, the forest land of the village reaches 13,700 mu as the forest coverage rate skyrockets from 5% to 77.2%, and the economic value of the forest amounts to RMB 100 million. In 2022, Haique Village won the second forestry carbon ticket of the province. This vast forest sea translates the “air” of the village into wealth in the pockets of the villagers.
Planting trees and returning grain plots to forestry… Guizhou is on the move. From 2012 to 2022, Guizhou has accumulatively planted woods of 53.72 million mu, with 16.95 million mu of grain plots returned to forestry. In the meantime, the area of treated stony desertification in Guizhou reached 13,100 sq.km., marking the remarkable achievement of “greening” mountainous areas.
Lucid waters and green mountains are invaluable assets. Through hard work and persistence. Guizhou remains committed to emerging as a pioneering model in ecological construction, promoting the upgrade of ecological civilization, and growing stronger in pursuing ecological development.
SOURCE Huanqiu.com
