On January 7, the People’s Daily introduced the practice and experience of Pu’er in building of national forest city in an article. Below are our edited excerpts.

The beautiful small poolside city Ximeng Wazu Autonomous County in Pu’er, photoed by Li Zhenyu

The ecological conditions in Pu’er are outstanding. The forest coverage rate of the whole city is nearly 70 percent, the area of natural reserves at different levels cover 20 percent of the national territorial area, and the city has nearly one third of all the types of flora and fauna in the country. In 2015, the city was built into a “national forest city.” What changes has the building of national forest city brought to this “Pearl of Green Ocean” on the tropic of cancer? A few days ago, our newspaper reporter went to the “hometown of Pu’er Tea” to find the truth. 

How to make out the bill?

The value of forest ecosystem services reaches more than RMB200 billion annually 

Pu’er is underdeveloped area. Among nine counties and one zone under its jurisdiction, 8 are key counties under national poverty alleviation program. Nonetheless, the entire area boasts of excellent ecological conditions. Pu’er has long ago identified the strategy of “ecology defines the city, green is the development goal.” The building of forest city has been the proper meaning of the plan and it can also work as a platform and method. Secretary Wei Xing of Pu’er Municipal Party Committee expressed that forest city was both an important symbol of a high-quality city and the direction and trend of development and that the “building of forest city” took pains right now but brought benefits to our posterity. 

Director Li Zhao of Municipal Forestry Bureau said that Pu’er did not “build it into a forest city” on the spur of the moment but rather “made the achievements step by step.” In June 2010, “Forest Pu’er” Construction Leading Group was established in Pu’er, which aimed at sustainable development of forest ecosystem, forest industrial system, forest cultural system, and forest urban system. Starting from 2012, the “building of forest city” has been in full swing in Pu’er. 

It took three years to build Pu’er into a forest city. The total amount of invest capital was nearly tens of billions of RMB in Pu’er. It was commendable for Pu’er, whose annual fiscal revenue was only RMB5-6 billion but whose expenditure reached up to more than RMB20 billion. At present, it is professionally estimated that “the value of forest ecosystem services” in Pu’er reaches up to more than RMB200 billion annually. 

How should the work be done?

Overstatement and culture brews a rich “taste of Pu’er”

The “building of forest city” is a matter of whole-regionalization, which not only means localization but also means that the entire Pu’er should be up to the standard of forest city. Nonetheless, forest city does not mean that every city should be the same. What are the features of Pu’er?

The people of Pu’er have not only incorporated forest protection into their concept of development but have also reflected it into every detail of their work. On the Mt. Jingmai in Lancang County, a world-class super iron mine is buried under the ten-thousand-mu ancient tea garden. The legislature has drawn the red lines for development, in order to protect the ancient tea trees left by the ancestors. The city is applying to make it become a “world cultural heritage site” so that it can enjoy better protection. 

On the street of Pu’er, people can see colorful and diverse trees, with different flowers in bloom all year round. Yu Chenggang, Secretary of the Party Committee of Municipal Forestry Bureau, introduced that the city took advantage of local species to plant more local trees and flowers. It is another highlight of building Pu’er into a forest city. 

Congenital natural conditions are not enough to qualify a city to be a “forest city.” Comprehensive measures are of equal importance to underdeveloped areas. Pu’er focuses on connotation in the “building of forest city,” highlights its unique style and features as a city in south subtropical region, overstates its mountains and highlights it waters, carries forward its cultures, and brews a rich “taste of Pu’er.”

Who will be the beneficiaries? 

“Working and living in a forest city, we are more and more beneficial”

According to Yang Zhonghe, a villager of Yutang Village of Yixiang Town in Simao District, nothing is more beneficial from “the building of forest city” than the influx of tourists. Yutang Village is close to Maoniuping Scenic Spot in Pu’er National Park. Tourists take the loop line and travel through the village. In 2013, after the completion of Pu’er National Park, the annual number of tourists to the park increased from 100,000-200,000 at the beginning of the year to 600,000 to 700,000 during the previous year. Yang Zhonghe owns a 30-mu tea garden, more than 2,000 orange trees, and more than 200-mu of mountain forest. The annual income of a family of four is no less than RMB100,000. 

Simao District is one of the 20 forest economic experimental zones in our country. Inside the district, green hills and clear waters are generating wealth. To plant trees and enrich people, Pu’er strives to accomplish “industrialization of ecological construction, ecologicalization of industrial development” and spares no efforts to develop featured forestry industry. Nowadays, tea-leaves, coffee, and dendrobe have become “three treasures of Pu’er.” 1.8 million-mu of walnut trees and 550,000-mu of macadamia nuts are growing well. Just green seedlings can bring more than 500 million output value in a year. In 2016, the forestry production value of the whole city was expected to exceed RMB 20 billion.