Poverty-stricken farmers and the ecological environment in an
area of Shaanxi are set to benefit from a range of new
measures.
Zhang Wei, a vice governor in charge of an anti-poverty drive in
the inland province in northwest China, said the Qinling Mountain
area would see a range of improvements in the coming years.
"In the period of the 11th Five-Year Guidelines (2006-2010), we
will focus our efforts to help poor farmers living in the
mountainous region and at the same time protect the ecological
environment there," he said.
Though economic development and environmental protection can
sometimes be contradictory, especially in less developed regions
such as Shaanxi, the local government hopes to benefit both by
taking extensive measures, the vice governor said.
The local governments of Shangluo, Ankang and Hanzhong, which
are located around the mountain, are currently working on green
projects to improve the local economic development.
"We are making efforts to produce more than 1,500 kinds of local
products such as walnut, Chinese chestnut, persimmon and edible
fungus, which will give local farmers more income and provide
better protection to the ecological environment," said Shangluo
Mayor Wei Zengjun.
Shangluo has about 500,000 people, about one-fifth of its total
population, living without enough food and clothing.
The local government plans to improve their living conditions by
developing industries of Chinese medicines, tea, wine, food and
tourism with them, the mayor said.
Like Shangluo, Hanzhong and Ankang are also carrying out such
projects, Zhang said.
Qinling Mountain has one of the richest areas of wildlife in
China, according to Hang Wenxuan, an official with Shaanxi
Provincial Environment Protection Bureau.
With a total area of 57,900 square kilometers, the mountain is
China's main water resource for the central line of the South-North
Water Diversion Project, the official said.
But in the past 50 years, the environment in Qinling Mountain
has been damaged with economic development and increasing human
activities.
(China Daily May 16, 2006)