Lijiang tightens ecological protection

"If there is no snow mountain, the snow line continues to fall back and groundwater resources are out of control, the result could be disastrous," said Cui Maohu, chief of the Lijiang municipal committee of the CPC.

Cui Maohu noted recently that the Yulong Naxi autonomous county of Lijiang completed a list of negative keys to ecological function zones in 2017 and carried out measures on the demarcation of red lines for ecological protection.

The county actively promoted the establishment of local ecological townships, reaching an establishment rate of 43.75 percent.

Farmland covered with bright colors in Lijiang's Yulong Naxi autonomous county. [Photo by Wang Zhongsheng/xinhuanet.com]

In 2017, Yulong county implemented a strict management system on local water resources and achieved remarkable results in the comprehensive management of groundwater. Management of rivers, lakes and drains continued to be promoted, and urban domestic sewage and rubbish were well-handled.

Five coal-fired boilers were eliminated and the target of energy conservation and emission reduction was realized. The county strengthened forest fire prevention and forest resource management, and the forest coverage rate of the entire county reached 73.5 percent.

Lijiang's Yulong Snow Mountain [Photo by Yin Shaorong/xinhuanet.com]

Cui said that we should make good use of limited water resources, build water-saving cities and develop water-saving agriculture to improve Lijiang's environment and city brand.

Yulong county will strengthen its ecological management of underground water wells, underground space and groundwater in 2018. It will also promote inheritance of traditional culture, focus on poverty alleviation, try to increase tourism, and speed up industrial development.

A flock of migrant birds fly over Lijiang's Lashi Lake. [Photo by Wang Zhongsheng/xinhuanet.com]