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Environmental education regenerated
Last Updated(Beijing Time):2012-03-16 13:30

Planting, not chopping

For Li Hongfu, Party chief of Hetian, planting trees and grass is just the first step in a long journey regarding water and soil conservation.

"To protect plants is just as important," he said. "We have to take measures to stop villagers from damaging the forest."

The town's policy on forest protection, printed on pink flyers piled high in Li's office, states that anyone who chops wood will be fined 20 yuan ($3.18) for each branch. Those who cut down a tree could be fined as much as 500 yuan or even jailed.

"We fenced off our hills for afforestation for years, and every village has a designated forest protection team to stop forests from being further damaged," he said.

Hetian's government also invited individuals or companies to contract for afforestation in the barren hills and arid land.

"We encouraged villagers to plant cash crops such as chestnut, waxberry and tea-oil trees, which can bring the farmers money without losing precious water and soil."

But on barren mountains and land unsuitable for planting those crops, it remained the government's responsibility to plant trees and grass.

Last year, a farmer's net annual income had increased to 6,860 yuan from 3,700 yuan in 2006, up 13 percent a year on average.

"The ultimate goal is to turn the mountains green to ensure the people live in a good environment and are well-off," Li said.

Learning as children

Middle school students in Hetian take an extra course that their counterparts in the cities might not get.

In its opening chapter, the textbook tells of the rise and fall of ancient Babylonia on the Euphrates River.

Babylonia created a splendid civilization but it died when the land became barren due to water loss and soil erosion.

"Environmental awareness should be learned as children," said Peng Shaoyun, a soil erosion control official in Changting.

In Hetian, a 120-hectare natural park has been built as a base for research and education. Shen Jinmu, an administrator at the park, said almost every school in the county had sent their students there for outdoor study.

"We teach them how to identify different kinds of trees, how to prevent forest fires, and allow them to participate in planting trees," said Shen, who also acts as a volunteer guide.

Shen tells all students and visitors that one tree can be made into thousands of matchsticks, while one matchstick can cause a fire and destroy thousands of trees.

"The students learn to protect the forest and can even be advocates for soil conservation to their family and friends," he said.

Contact the writers at tanzongyang@chinadaily.com.cn and humeidong@chinadaily.com.cn

Source:China Daily 
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