Across China: Green revolution at China's red revolutionary base

Source: Xinhua| 2017-10-31 20:00:23|Editor: Xiang Bo
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XI'AN, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- At Zhang Weipang's orchard, apples are ready for harvest.

The 0.67 hectares of apple trees, planted on just one quarter of the area formerly used for growing crops, earns his family at least 200,000 yuan (30,000 U.S. dollars) every year.

"It is more than ten times the income we received from growing crops, as the crop yield was only 750 kg per hectare," Zhang said.

Zhang lives in a rural area of Yan'an, a revolutionary base in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

Located on China's Loess Plateau, Yan'an was one of regions that suffered most from drought and soil erosion. But the situation has gradually changed as the afforestation project to plant trees on cultivated land has brought the red city both a green landscape and fortune.

Hou Xiuzhen, a village cadre in Baota District, remembers the vicious circle of poverty and environmental destruction in the past.

Poor farmers turned to growing crops and herding livestock to feed themselves, but these activities only worsened the soil erosion, she said.

"Livestock ate the grass, and rainwater washed soil into river, making growing rice almost impossible," she recalled.

Last century, the plateau was notorious for its chronic soil erosion and ensuing ecological imbalance, especially in the impoverished Yan'an area. Every year, nearly 260 million tonnes of mud and sand washed into Yellow River, making up one sixth of the silt that gave the river its name.

Wu Zongkai, head of forestry bureau in Wuqi County, recalled the ecological conditions 20 years ago.

"Trees were rarely seen, and herders had difficulty finding a tree to lean against for a rest," said Wu. "We often had to turn on the lights at 3 p.m. when sandstorms turned the skies dark."

Wu, who has worked at the forestry department for over 30 years, has witnessed the "green revolution."

After China launched the project to plant trees on former farmland in 1999, the local government organized tree planting efforts every year, but the drought meant the survival rate was very low.

"After a tree died, we planted again, and again, up to six times, to cover the land with trees," Wu said.

After two decades, Wuqi County has seen an increase in tree and grass coverage from 12 percent in 1998 to nearly 73 percent this year.

Fu Tianping, head of the Yan'an Forestry Bureau, said over the past 18 years, the city has planted trees on 720,000 hectares of former farmland, or one fifth of the city's total area.

Improving the landscape has also increased incomes, through tourist revenue and profit generated by fruit trees.

Xue Zhanhai, mayor of Yan'an, said the city now has 450,000 hectares of fruit trees, generating an annual output of 10 billion yuan. The city's direct revenue from the forest tourism sector has hit 120 million yuan.

China has raised ecological construction to an unprecedented level over the past five years, with afforestation one of its major projects. Figures show the total area of new tree-covered areas in China stood at 7.2 million hectares in 2016, up 28.7 percent from 2012.

A report delivered at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China earlier this month said China would expand the project to plant trees on formerly cultivated land.

According to the State Forestry Administration, China aims to turn 667,000 hectares of farmland into tree-covered areas every year by 2020.

Hou, who has led tree-planting efforts near her village, said less farmland to cultivate has allowed more workers to take jobs, which also helps improve livelihoods in rural areas.

"With more trees, our living environment has become more beautiful and our lives in the village are better," she said.

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