Eco-restoration project raises living standards

New talent

The municipal government has set a goal of raising forestry coverage to 50 percent and the per capita area of green land to 17 square meters by 2020. Moreover, it plans to introduce measures to ensure that the quality of the air is excellent on at least 65 days every year.

The city's eco-revolution is also bringing new opportunities to attract fresh talent and cut unemployment.

According to Lan, some of the new parks have been designed to provide an attractive environment in an area known as University Town with the aim of attracting a high-tech companies and new talent. In Huaxi district, several parks that boasts entertainment facilities have already become tourist attractions.

The improved urban environment has also resulted in higher values for land and real estate.

Denggaoyunshan Forest Park, between Yunyan and Wudang districts, is one such example; it was once a dump for construction waste, but in the past year it has undergone a massive replanting program and is now covered with trees and flowers.

Sales of real estate projects in the area were poor for many years, but in the past 10 months, prices have soared by 2,000 yuan per sq m on average, according to Gao Xiaowen, deputy director of the Guiyang Ecological Civilization Construction Committee.

The same thing has happened in other areas where the eco-reconstruction project has been carried out. Apartments close to Quanhu Park that once sold for 1,000 yuan per sq m are now priced at 4,000 to 5,000 yuan, and the price of land has soared from 16.6 million yuan per hectare to 50 million yuan.

Gao estimated that the park, together with a Buddhist cultural center that is under construction, will add about 2 billion yuan to the price of land nearby and benefit five new residential buildings whose apartments are now estimated to be worth at least 800 million yuan in total.

"A large amount of human resources will be needed, which will mean more job opportunities. Eco-revitalization encourages shared benefits, and soon, the local people will see how they can share in the city's reconstruction plan and also how nature will play a role as one of our leading treasures," he said.