Man devotes over 40 years to afforestation in SW China's Yunnan
Since starting work in 1984, Zhao Peixian has helped pioneer a unique technique for afforestation and selected tree varieties suited to the region, gradually restoring vegetation to hills once stripped bare.
Zhao Peixian, a 62-year-old forestry engineer from Yunnan Province, has been dedicated to afforestation efforts in the Jinsha River valley for over four decades. Starting in 1984, he pioneered a unique afforestation technique and selected tree varieties suited to the region's dry, hot climate. The county's forest coverage rate plummeted to a historic low of 5.2% in 1985 due to barren hillsides, strong winds, and thin topsoil.
Zhao's innovative trench planting method improved soil moisture retention by over 40%, but early saplings frequently withered in the dry climate. After 2000, Yuanmou worked with forestry academies to breed climate-suited species, including Indian rosewood. Over nine years, researchers determined the tree's suitability for the region.
In recent years, five local tree varieties have earned provincial-level certification, and forest coverage has risen to 31.11%. Zhao remains committed to protecting the ecological barrier of the Yangtze River's upper reaches, envisioning a future where the dry-hot valley is green.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
