Rural police station extends helping hand to nature
Some 200 forest rangers from Majie town work at observation stations in the area, where many villagers have opened bed-and-breakfast establishments to accommodate bird watchers and photographers.
Tao Jingping, 42, who runs a homestay with three rooms and offers catering services in Zhongshan village, Majie, said a maximum of 70 tourists arrive each day.
"As the environment has improved significantly, I wanted to start my own business at home," she said, adding that the homestay earns her more than 10,000 yuan ($1,396) a year.
"The village has changed a lot, and nobody hunts birds anymore. When they were still young, my daughter and son told me how cute birds are and that we need to protect them," she said.
Liao Chengfang, town mayor of Majie, said it plans to develop industries such as Chinese herbal medicine and ecotourism to increase residents' income.
"We are also considering a plan to offer high-end healthcare and rehabilitation programs to attract retirees to the area during the summer vacation, where they can rent a small courtyard to cook their own meals," he said.
"We will provide them with organic ingredients, and they can also go foraging for mushrooms in the mountains in July and August."
Contact the writers at chenmeiling@chinadaily.com.cn
