Guiyang to replant over 1.8 million saplings

The control and restoration project of the Guiyang section of the Wujiang River Basin recently commenced construction in Xifeng county, Kaiyang county and Qingzhen city. It involves the control of rocky desertification as well as water conservation.

Xifeng county, Kaiyang county and Qingzhen city are governed by Guiyang city, capital of Southwest China’s Guizhou province.

In June 2020, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Natural Resources issued the "Overall Plan for Major Engineering Projects for the Protection and Restoration of Important Ecological Systems Nationwide (2021-35)".

These major protection and restoration projects will be implemented in key ecological areas of the Yellow River, key ecological areas of the Yangtze River, and the forest belt in Northeast China, as per the plan.

The Wujiang River is the largest river in Guizhou province, and is a tributary of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Therefore, the project in the Guiyang section of the Wujiang River Basin is also part of the major projects related to the Yangtze River.

The construction task of the Wujiang River Basin project is to restore 55,000 mu (3,666.67 hectares) of degraded forests in Kaiyang county, Xifeng county, and Qingzhen city in Guiyang. This involves the replanting of more than 1.8 million saplings and a direct investment of 35.75 million yuan ($4.94 million).

The Wujiang River Basin project involves replanting local tree species, such as Chinese toons, in degraded forest areas. The project will also implement measures that will gradually transform the degraded ecosystem towards a virtuous cycle that improves the quality of natural ecosystems.