Digital tech bolsters eco-protection of Yunnan's Cangshan Mountain, Erhai Lake

A photo shows the smart forestry and grassland management platform of Dali city, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Digital technologies such as big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence are now playing a pivotal role in ecological governance in Dali city, located in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Yunnan Province.

The city's relevant departments have introduced digital solutions to implement holistic conservation and systematic governance of various ecosystems, including mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands and sand areas. This strategy ensures intelligent ecological conservation of both Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake, which is replenished by streams from the mountain.

With a focus on Cangshan Mountain, the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Dali city has built a comprehensive water source conservation system for the Erhai Lake basin. Employing cutting-edge digital technologies such as the Internet of Things, edge computing, cloud computing, big data and AI, the bureau has launched a smart forestry and grassland management platform, ensuring real-time monitoring and early warning mechanisms, as well as unified coordination and management of resources.

A photo shows a fire monitoring facility in Dali city, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Inspur Electronic Information Industry Co., Ltd., a Chinese company that provides cloud computing infrastructure platforms, has supplied the bureau with cloud computing, edge computing and AI solutions. This partnership ensures the round-the-clock operation of the smart forestry and grassland management platform. Moreover, it leverages data through intelligent computing, offering a valuable resource for informed decision-making in ecological conservation.

For example, a fire monitoring facility can surveil a forest area within a 15 km radius and send images to an AI-based fire detection device, which analyzes the data in real time. The device then transmits this data to a data center, ensuring early forest fire detection within milliseconds. Once a fire is detected, the relevant data is forwarded to the Geographic Information System (GIS), which helps identify the fire's location. The platform then alerts firefighters, enabling remote command.

The platform has significantly improved forestry and grassland conservation in Dali city. Thanks to the platform, the city has, for the first time, experienced no fire incidents during the regular forest fire season.

Du Yangfeng, head of the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Dali city, said the city had made considerable progress in building a comprehensive water source conservation system for the Erhai Lake basin. This has led to notable achievements in protecting the city's forests, grasslands and wetlands. As a result, people can enjoy the picturesque scenery of Cangshan Mountain and the crystal-clear waters of Erhai Lake.