Young forest surveyor carries green legacy forward in N China's Arxan

At the southwestern foothills of the Greater Hinggan Mountains in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, there lies a vast sea of forests, where waves of green roll across the horizon.

With measuring equipment in hand, An Zhengxin, a forest surveyor at the forest resources management center of Arxan Forest Industry Co., Ltd., entered a sample plot in the forest with two teammates. They worked with well-defined roles: one takes measurements, one marks the trees, and one records the data.

Based on the sample-plot data, they estimate the forest-wide figures, providing a scientific basis for subsequent forest management and tending.

"Forest surveying is the foundation of forestry," An said, adding that it serves as the groundwork for other forestry operations.

For An, hiking over 10 kilometers a day has become routine. Step by step, he traverses the mountains and forests, turning field measurements into valuable references for forest tending, wildfire prevention, and pest and disease control.

From traditional compasses to handheld GPS devices, and now to tablets running specialized operating systems, An has witnessed how forest survey tools have evolved over the years. Drones can help with some survey tasks, he noted, but given the complex conditions deep in the forest, a surveyor's judgment on the ground remains indispensable.

Born in 1998, An is a fourth-generation forestry worker. He grew up in the forest area, with many of his childhood memories tied to the woods. Several generations of his family have worked in forestry, witnessing local transformation from logging alongside reforestation, to a complete ban on commercial logging of natural forests in 2012, and on to today's continuous efforts to advance ecological conservation.

As of now, the Arxan forest area has accumulated over 1.08 million mu (72,000 hectares) of effectively preserved forests established through artificial regeneration and afforestation, with total forest stock volume exceeding 54.49 million cubic meters. Today, forests cover 80.84 percent of the area, while green vegetation coverage stands at 95 percent.

Each tree and each stretch of forest bears the dedication of generations of those who have devoted themselves to the woods. An carries this legacy forward, growing with the forest that has witnessed his journey.