Qingzhen safeguards Guiyang's western green shield

Forest rangers from the Qingzhen State-owned Forest Farm carry out a daily patrol around the forest. [Photo/Guiyang news network]

The Qingzhen State-owned Forest Farm was one of the first eight forest farms to be established in Southwest China's Guizhou province. Adhering to the new development concept of "lush mountains and lucid waters are both economic and natural assets", forest rangers on the farm have been working hard to safeguard Guiyang's western green shield.

Forest rangers carry out daily patrols around the forest to investigate any deforestation activities, especially at where forest and farmland meet. They also inspect the health status of trees and search for any animal carcasses or signs of illegal activity, such as hunting or taking valuable resources from the forest.

"I was born here and I've always lived alongside this forest, so I feel deeply connected to it. I think it's my responsibility to safeguard it," said Liu Hai, one of the forest rangers.

The forest farm was founded in June 1957 and is located 45 kilometers away from Guiyang. Now the farm boasts a forest coverage rate of 98.15 percent, an increase of 26.95 percentage points over 2010.