"This geomorphic site conditions are poor, soil erosion is serious, and afforestation is difficult." Li Guofeng, who has been a forest ranger for 19 years, told reporters. In 2020, the county applied for a national reserve forest project to control several rocky desertification hills around Gejiagou village.

"First dig big holes on the stones with machinery, and then transport soil to fill them, and plant a tree in one hole. If it is not possible to work mechanically, find a place with much soil in the crack of the stone or fill it with soil to plant a tree. A lot of machinery, soil and saplings are carried to the mountains by people or donkeys, because there is no road at all on some mountains." Talking about how to plant trees and afforestation, Li Guofeng opened his mouth.

At present, trees have been planted on the stony desertification hill of 6000 mu of Gejiagou National Forest Reserve Base. Rows of loblolly pine, platycypress dyed green one after another hill, standing on the top of the hill looking down, half of the green mountains, half of the blue water. And this is only one of the 12 rocky desertification afforestation points in Xichuan County, which has completed the control of 382,000 mu of rocky desertification to a high standard.

Before-and-after comparison of Gejiagou National Forest Reserve Base (2020-2022) (file photo). (Photo provided by Xichuan County Party Committee Publicity Department)

Good tree species, but also good conservation and management. Xichuan County explores a new forest management model of "forest chief + public security chief + procurator-general + court president", and builds a three-dimensional management and protection network relying on "four members" (forest rangers, technicians, police officers, supervisors) to promote forest resource protection. The county has set up 1,480 forest chiefs at the county, township and village levels, and built 366 grass-roots grids of "one chief and four officers" to realize that "the mountains are managed, the trees are protected and the responsibilities are taken care of".

With clear water and green mountains, how to turn it into Jinshan and Yinshan? In view of the needs of ecological protection in the reservoir area, Xichuan County focuses on ecological economy, and vigorously develops the forest fruit economy, Chinese herbal medicine cultivation and ecological tourism, so as to better promote rural revitalization.

In a 1200-mu pomegranate garden near Danjiangkou Reservoir, Gao Chen, general manager of the "post-80s" generation, has been running this orchard for 10 years. "To prevent pollution, we use organic fertilizer, biological agents and insect lamps to kill insects," he said. Gao said that although the cost has increased, there are government subsidies, and the pomegranate is "drinking" water from the Danjiang River, so the brand benefit is good. Now, Gao is planning to renovate the old houses left by immigrants near the orchard and develop ecological tourism agriculture.

After years of efforts, Xichuan County has developed 230,000 mu of pomegranate, big cherry, apricot plum and other special forest fruits. By 2022, the output value of the county's forestry and fruit industry will reach 600 million yuan, and 100,000 people in the reservoir area have embarked on the road of increasing income and prosperity.

The Danjiangkou Reservoir (drone photo) is seen in Xichuan county, Nanyang city, Henan province. (Photo provided by Xichuan County Party Committee Publicity Department)

"Protecting the water quality of Danjiangkou Reservoir is the foundation of protecting Xichuan's development and improving the people's happiness index. We adhere to the road of ecological economy, economic and ecological green development, and realize protection and development in development." "Said Zhou Dapeng, member of the Standing Committee of the Nanyang Municipal Committee and secretary of Xichuan County Party Committee. (Reporter Liu Jinhui)

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