Tailored protection to help nature's old-timers live on for generations to come

Research and utilization of the ecological value of ancient trees remain inadequate, and there is a lack of thorough exploration and transformation of their historical and cultural value, Yang said.

His research team found that following the announcement of the results of the first national survey of ancient and famous trees in China in 2005, there was an increase in academic papers published from 2010 onward. These papers primarily focused on the quantity of resources, spatial distribution and protection planning, with limited discussion on the ecological characteristics, cultural value and preservation mechanisms of these trees.

While China is among the few countries that have completed a national-level survey of ancient and famous trees, there are still gaps in research. The analysis of the relationship between humans and trees is lacking, and research on the genetic information, growth patterns and relationships with biological groups of ancient trees is still in its early stages. Additionally, the study of tree age, which is crucial for grading ancient trees, has significant gaps, and research on deep-level mechanisms remains insufficient.

The expert suggested refining the legal responsibilities pertaining to the protection and management of ancient and famous trees to establish a sustainable legal protection mechanism. Efforts should also be made to expand the scope and depth of research on ancient trees to provide scientific resources for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. Furthermore, the exploration of the historical and humanistic value of ancient trees should be integrated into the framework of cultural heritage preservation, especially rural cultural development.

Inspiringly, an initiative marking the comprehensive implementation of a judicial guardianship system for millennia-old trees took place in China's southwestern municipality Chongqing recently.

On China's second National Ecology Day on Aug 15, an exclusive appointment ceremony was jointly organized by the Chongqing High People's Court, the Fifth Intermediate People's Court of Chongqing and the Chongqing Forestry Bureau under a 1,200-year-old ancient tree in the city's Wulong district.

Twelve chief judges from the courts of the city's 12 districts, including in Wanzhou, Qianjiang, Fuling and Hechuan districts where 27 millennia-old trees are located, were officially appointed as the city's inaugural group of "Millennium Old Tree Judicial Guardians" to help promote high-quality development of ancient tree protection in the new era.

Zhao Ling, president of the Chongqing Environmental Resources Court under the Fifth Intermediate People's Court of Chongqing said the system employs legal mechanisms and judicial procedures to aid in the preservation and rejuvenation of millennium-old trees, actively leveraging judicial expertise and resources to promote the development of ecological civilization.