Shanxi Province has unveiled a comprehensive blueprint for forestry and grassland protection and utilization over the next five years.

The Shanxi Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau, together with the Shanxi Provincial Development and Reform Commission, recently jointly issued the "Shanxi Province 15th Five-Year Forestry and Grassland Protection and Utilization Plan."

2030 targets set for forest and grassland coverage

The plan specifies that by 2030, Shanxi's forest and grassland coverage rate will reach 50.70%, with forest coverage exceeding 24.1% and forest stock volume rising to 202 million cubic meters.

The comprehensive vegetation coverage of grassland will remain stable at 74.32%, while the total output value of the forestry and grassland industry will reach 90 billion yuan.

Nature reserve areas will account for no less than 11% of the total, and forest and grassland fire damage rates will be kept below 0.7 per thousand and 1.8 per thousand respectively, continuously consolidating the ecological security barrier for the middle reaches of the Yellow River and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Four major forestry and grassland governance zones designated

Based on Shanxi's resource endowments, the plan divides the province into four major forestry and grassland protection and governance zones for targeted, zone-specific measures.

The northern and northwestern Shanxi wind-sand and drought control zone will focus on combating wind-sand and drought conditions while strengthening distinctive industries such as sea buckthorn and kernel apricot.

The Luliang Mountain Loess Plateau soil and water conservation zone will concentrate on controlling soil erosion and consolidating the advantages of economic forests such as red dates and walnuts.

The Taihang Mountain-Zhongtiao Mountain water source conservation zone will enhance water source conservation and protect biodiversity.

The central-southern Fen River Valley landscape ecological forest zone will advance urban and rural greening and beautification, building a landscape ecological forest system.

Scientific greening and afforestation efforts outlined

In terms of scientifically carrying out land greening, the plan calls for coordinated ecological governance across river basins, mountain ranges, and whole-gully units, adhering to the principles of determining greening based on water availability and matching species to site conditions, with 5 million mu of afforestation to be completed.

Full efforts will be made to win the "Three-North" project's Yellow River "Ji-shaped Bend" battle, completing 15 million mu of governance and consolidation tasks.

Forest tending will be intensified to increase forest stock volume, with 5 million mu of forest tending and 2 million mu of grassland ecological restoration implemented.

The foundation for forestry and grassland seedlings will be strengthened, and the level of urban and rural greening and voluntary tree planting will be raised.

Nature reserve system construction advanced

Regarding the construction of the nature reserve system, the plan makes clear that Shanxi will advance preliminary work for creating the Taihang Mountain National Park candidate area and support Changzhi in applying for a world geological park.

Rescue protection will be implemented for flagship species such as leopards, brown eared pheasants, and musk deer.

A Shanxi sub-center of the North China Leopard National Protection and Research Center will be established, along with rescue and artificial breeding programs for rare and endangered wild animals and plants.

Efforts will include advancing the breeding and release of crested ibises and the breeding and reintroduction of Lonicera oblata, building the Shanxi Provincial Wildlife Rescue Center, improving the wetland classification management system, and continuously maintaining wildlife habitats.

Innovative development of the forestry and grassland industry

In terms of innovatively developing the forestry and grassland industry, the plan calls for cultivating premium forest product brands and vigorously developing the under-forest economy, with 10,000 mu of provincial-level under-forest economy demonstration bases built annually across the province.

State-owned forest farm reform will be deepened, with a comprehensive forestry and grassland industry reform pilot conducted in Xinzhou City and a "Hundred Farms Leading a Thousand Villages" initiative implemented.

A number of provincial-level demonstration sites for "quality improvement, industry promotion, and benefiting the people" will be developed.

Ecological corridors will be built around the Luya Mountain forestry and grassland landscape, the Lanhe Source-Zhongzhai ecological corridor, the Yangpo Reservoir-Heicha Mountain science education corridor, the Zhenwu Mountain-Sanzuo Cliff premium natural landscape corridor, the Taihang North China Leopard hundred-li ecological corridor, the Mianshan-Xingtang Temple hundred-li ecological corridor, and the Xiaoxitian-Shimagou-Zijing Mountain ecological corridor.

Forest and grassland fire prevention and ecological protection as bottom-line tasks

Forest and grassland fire prevention and forestry and grassland ecological protection are key bottom-line tasks.

The plan specifies that Shanxi will implement the "1416" early fire handling mechanism, focusing on enhancing six capabilities: fire source control, early fire detection, early fire suppression, major fire extinguishing, preventing re-ignition, and strong coordination.

A six-in-one monitoring and early warning system integrating satellites, drones, video surveillance, observation towers, manual patrols, and public opinion sensing will be constructed.

The "one map" basic data and three-dimensional perception network for forestry and grassland fire prevention and extinguishing will be improved, with over 30,000 kilometers of fire prevention roads newly built, renovated, or maintained, and modern fire prevention and extinguishing equipment fully equipped.

The prevention and control system will be improved, with forestry and grassland pest disaster rates kept below 3.85 per thousand and 9.5% respectively.

Major pests such as pine wood nematodes and American white moths will be continuously controlled, a zero-epidemic status for key invasive pests will be maintained, and forestry and grassland supervision and law enforcement will be strengthened.

Strengthening foundational support for forestry and grassland

Meanwhile, in strengthening foundational support for forestry and grassland, the plan calls for continuously deepening collective forest tenure system reform and advancing digital and intelligent forestry and grassland construction.

Technologies such as satellite remote sensing, big data, artificial intelligence, and digital twins will be applied to empower forestry and grassland resource supervision, fire monitoring, and precise carbon sink measurement.

The "forest chief system plus courts plus procuratorates" collaboration mechanism will be deepened, and forestry and grassland scientific and technological innovation, rule of law construction, and talent team building will be strengthened to modernize the governance system and governance capacity for forestry and grassland.

Going forward, Shanxi will improve dynamic monitoring and mid-term and final evaluation mechanisms for plan implementation, coordinate the use of funds at all levels, broaden diversified financing channels, carry forward the Youyu spirit, and guide the whole society to participate in ecological construction.

Through high-quality forestry and grassland development, the province aims to support its resource-based economic transformation, promote ecological projects built by all and ecological products shared by all, and enhance the people's sense of gain and happiness.