Forest cities boosting eco-protection, incomes

Potential

The efforts to build forest cities are meaningful for residents, both downtown and suburban, not only because of the fresher air and improved natural scenery, but also because they have raised incomes and promise great potential for the green economy.

By October, the combined length of "green walk" paths in Nanchang had reached 107 kilometers. All the paths and government-funded parks are open free of charge, and some forests and wetland parks draw large numbers of photographers and outdoor sports fans.

Zhang Yujun, who owns and operates a wedding photo studio in Nanchang, said the city's forest parks are the top choices for many newlyweds.

A few weeks ago, he photographed more than 20 newly married couples, all of whom chose forest parks as locations.

"Most parks are built along riverbanks or next to small lakes, and the great diversity of plant life meets the needs of different customers. Instead of traveling overseas, more couples are now having their wedding photos taken in Nanchang. Our studio recouped the initial investment about a year after it opened," he said.

In the suburbs, the opportunities created by the booming forest trend are drawing young people back from large cities.

Having worked in a tourism agency in Beijing for three years, Lu Xianfeng noticed the growth of forest tourism among urban residents. In response, he decided to return home and open a forest resort in Changshui village, Jiujiang city, Jiangxi.

The 38-year-old opened the resort in 2017 with total investment of 30 million yuan. The 21 wooden villas, all imported from Canada, can house 60 guests at a time.

"Most of our guests are couples traveling with their kids and parents. They want to relax, both physically and mentally, through close contact with nature. With China's rapid economic development, such needs will definitely soar in the future," Lu said.

The resort made more than 200,000 yuan during the seven-day National Day holiday last month.

By the end of that month, the number of people who had stayed at the resort since January reached about 20,000, generating income of some 3 million yuan. Most of the visitors hailed from other parts of China, including large cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.

In Jiujiang, many people have boosted their incomes by promoting the green economy-for example, by planting herbs and commercial plants. Last year, the forest industry generated income of more than 43 billion yuan, according to the city government.