As the second National Ecology Day is celebrated on August 15th, the Forestry Administration of Guangdong Province reveals that the province's forest coverage rate has reached 53.03%, with its forest stock volume, nature reserves, and the diversity of wild flora and fauna leading China's ecological indicators.
To date, Guangdong has meticulously enhanced the quality of its forests across 3.5799 million acres and planted 21.082 million saplings across counties, towns, and villages. These efforts have not only met but surpassed the ecological targets set by the Green and Beautiful Guangdong Campaign in advance of schedule. Guangdong has also seen a significant increase in the number of people participating in voluntary tree-planting activities, with over 196,000 events reported online, involving 1.255 million participants and resulting in the planting of more than 3.75 million trees, a substantial rise compared to the same period last year.
The verdant landscapes of southern Guangdong are being revitalized, with the harmonious integration of forests and urban areas steadily advancing.
This year, Guangdong continues to intensify the construction of demonstration sites for a green and beautiful Guangdong, managing and improving the existing 193 demonstration sites. The province is also fostering new sites centered around suburban and mountain parks, creating a cohesive network that includes demonstration forests, public welfare forest zones, and nature reserves, injecting new green momentum and advantages into the high-quality development of Guangdong.
All 21 prefecture-level cities in Guangdong have embraced the "National Forest City" initiative , with 27 counties (cities, districts) such as Shixing County in Shaoguan City joining the national forest city (county) initiative. The collective enhancement of the national forest city cluster is accelerating, fostering greater connectivity and coordinated growth among forest cities. Guangdong is also dedicated to crafting idyllic, eco-friendly, and business-friendly villages, with a focus on preserving natural ecosystems and revitalizing the use of ancient trees and red cultural resources. This year has seen the establishment of 17 forest villages, eight villages showcasing ancient trees in harmony with greenery, and eight villages that blend greenery with the legacy of the red culture in Guangdong.
Guangdong, renowned for its rich biodiversity, hosts 6,658 species of wild higher plants and 1,052 species of terrestrial vertebrates on record. It also leads the country with over 12,000 recorded insect species. Since 2020, the province has made remarkable discoveries, with over 60 new species of animals and plants added to its ecological ledger, including the Boulenophrys elongata , V. chaozhouensis , Camellia zijinica , Odorrana concelata , and the Calamaria arcana .
Source | Yangcheng Evening News
