Planting trees across southwest China’s barren mountains to capture carbon and generate sustainable income
China is one of the most heavily forested countries in the world. However, it has lost over 4 percent of its pristine woodland since 2002 due to land clearing and logging. Many rural areas are self-managed by village committees, but residents are often under pressure to lease their land for unsustainable industries.
hired are women
for local villagers during planting and operating stage of the project
on average each year thanks to the project
of barren land afforested with native tree species
This project reforests 36,500 hectares of degraded, barren mountainous land in Xichuan County, southwest China. The region is home to over 600,000 people, with an average income well below that of urban areas. The project employs local people in the planting of native species, such as cork oak and masson pine, ensuring that the forest continues to sequester carbon and benefit the environment for decades to come.
Along with absorbing carbon and boosting biodiversity in the region, the project works closely with the local village committees to ensure that communities benefit from the afforestation of the area. So far the project has employed 108 local workers in planting and tending to the forest, 50 percent of which are women - boosting the local economy and creating decent fair paying jobs across the region's rural areas.
