Good for the Planet

In response to escalated ecological deterioration across the nation, particularly frequent floods of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers and serious soil erosion in central and western regions, the State Council decided to conduct a trial of returning farmland to forest or grassland in 1999. The project was implemented nationwide and was in full swing by 2002. Farmland with a slope of more than 25 degrees and seriously desertified land would be covered by trees.

"When forest area was small, as in the past, the air wasn't very good," Zhao pointed out. He has been living in the mountains for decades, so is sensitive to air quality. "Now, the farther you walk, the more comfortable you feel; the air is clear."

"The effects of better air quality and water conservation are almost intuitive," said Peng. "The Qingyi River at the foot of the mountains is crystal clear now. In the past, however, surface soil would be washed into the river when it rained, or carried away as the waters rose on the banks. Better vegetation prevents soil erosion."

Hongya County took on an entirely new look with the project and rural tourism prospers as a result. In Liujiang Town, for example, 120 households opened family inns.

Located in the upper reaches of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, Sichuan is of great significance in terms of water resource conservation, indeed it plays an important role in national ecological reconstruction.

In 1999, Sichuan took the lead in implementing the Grain for Green project. As of the end of 2009, forestlands had increased by 28.32 million mu, of which about 13.36 million used to be farmland. Investment from the central and local governments amounted to RMB 29 billion, benefiting 22.66 million farmers in 6.34 million households. Each household received an average subsidy of RMB 4,000.

Save the Splendor of Yunnan

Yunnan, situated in the southwest plateau of China, was dubbed the "south of colorful clouds" for its varied and glorious skyscape. But Dianchi, the largest freshwater lake in the province and the sixth largest in the nation, was once seriously polluted by farming waste, landfills and household refuse dumping. The first round of environmental remediation started in the 1980s but had little effect.

In 2008, efforts were intensified. Laws were made to protect this pearl of the plateau. Particular persons were appointed to take charge of different stretches of rivers flowing into the lake. In less than two years the funds spent on the lake doubled the total sum over the previous two decades. These measures delivered instant results. Of 35 rivers pouring into the lake, 26 have seen a reduction in polluting substances, remarkably so in 15 of them.

Besides Dianchi, another eight lakes in the province are also undergoing pollution management. By September 2009, investment in them exceeded RMB 13.1 billion, with Dianchi taking the lion's share of RMB 9.4 billion. The latest water monitoring results showed that water quality remained stable in all but one of these lakes; some, including Dianchi, were improved.