Eco-restoration project raises living standards

Partnerships

To finance the eco-revitalization program, a public-private partnership has been introduced under which the city government purchases services from private companies and organizations that specialize in certain fields.

The partnership significantly improves work efficiency, according to Lan Yitong, committee director of the city's publicity department.

"Guiyang is nestled in a mountainous area, and development has been limited by geography for decades. However, the mountains can also be used as resources to boost eco-industry. Eco-revitalization will not only 'green' the city, but also provide more favorable living conditions and more jobs for local people," she said.

As the mountains dominate more than half of Guiyang's total area, the city government is hoping to turn them into major attractions by investing more than 40 billion yuan in three major projects: pollution control in the Nanming River; the greening of 100 mountains; and the construction of 1,000 parks within the city boundaries. It aims to complete the projects by 2020.

Quanhu Park, in Baiyun district, is a model park in the plan. Constructed early last year and covering 72 hectares, it sits next to a large secondhand vehicle market on the site of a village that had been deserted since its inhabitants were relocated.

A lake in the center of the park was once a pond where people dumped domestic waste and sewage. Now, the park is a scenic spot and boasts Guizhou's largest musical fountain, where people can watch free movies projected onto a screen of water at weekends and during holidays.