A delegation from Saihanba National Forest Park in Hebei province visited Guiyang to share their experiences in ecological construction on Sept 7.

More than 1,000 staff and officials from Guizhou's forestry departments attended the meeting to listen to the reports made by the visiting delegation members.

A delegation from Saihanba National Forest Park shares green development experiences in Guiyang on Sept 7. [Photo/gog.cn]

Saihanba National Forest Park borders the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and was a popular hunting ground for northern China's rulers in the 10th century. The area's natural environment began to deteriorate because of unlimited logging, and by the early 1950s Saihanba was no longer an oasis, but a barren landscape and passage for desert sand from Inner Mongolia to blow into Beijing.

China launched the Saihanba Project in 1999, an initiative to plant the world's largest man-made forest and revive the area. The project currently covers a total area of 92,000 hectares.

Almost three generations of people have devoted their entire lives to turn the area green again. Chen Yanxian, a retired staff member from the park, said in her report, "I've never regreted having committed my life to fulfilling the mission."

Chen Yanxian, a retired staff member from Saihanba National Forest Park, gives a speech at the meeting in Guiyang on Sept 7. [Photo/gog.cn]

Guizhou officials greatly appreciated the experience shared by the delegation, as the province also faces the challenge to facilitate green development. "These young people devoted their best years to making Saihanba green again. It's a spirit worthy of respect," said one official from the forestry department.

Mu Degui, head of the Guizhou provincial publicity department, attends the meeting in Guiyang on Sept 7. [Photo/gog.cn]