Afforestation revivifies landscape in Chishui River area

A tree planting team of more than 800 people planted maple, nanmu, cherry, and other trees in the Chishui River basin to increase biodiversity-there used to be only a single tree species planted-and increase the forest coverage rate. Gulin has introduced more comprehensive environmental management measures such as thickening soil layers, and improving fertilization and water diversion.

Improving the ecological environment in the Chishui River basin can help promote poverty alleviation and rural revitalization, solve the issue of a surplus rural workforce, and increase farmers' income.

Navel orange trees in an industrial park near Chishui River are bearing fruits. Planting fruit trees in stony lands is a local special industry following early-stage abatement of rocky desertification and an important source of extra income for local people.

As the latest progress in China's systematic approach to conserving and improving mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and deserts, nearly 4 million hectares of forest were planted, about 4.38 million hectares of degraded grassland were restored and about 1.91 million hectares of sandy and stony land were treated nationally in 2023, according to a National Greening Commission report. In Sichuan, the government treated more than 3,733 hectares of rocky desertification lands in 2023 and plans to treat about 4,000 hectares in 2024.