Xi'an strengthens protection of Qinling Mountains

In 2021, Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, worked to strengthen the protection of the Qinling Mountains through concrete and effective actions.

The Qinling Mountains, which form a natural boundary between northern and southern China, support a huge variety of wildlife.

The Qinling Mountains support a huge variety of wildlife. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

Throughout the year, Xi'an's department for Qinling Mountain protection closed 112 mines, bringing the long history of mining in the Qinling Mountains to an end, and demolished 50 small hydropower stations, more than any other place in the province.

Of the 85 mines that had to be repaired manually, 40 were rehabilitated.

In the Qinling protection area, 1,257 farmhouses were demolished or banned according to law, and 1,552 farmhouses were upgraded, and the quality of services and environmental protection management were standardized and improved.

In addition, domestic waste in villages around the Qinling Mountains has also been reduced and recycling has been implemented.

Furthermore, 5.62 million yuan ($883,643.95) in rewards and subsidies for the restoration of green management and protection was given out for the ecological restoration of illegal constructions.

The city also carried out small watershed management, afforestation, and agricultural source pollution prevention and control, and the environment in the Qinling Mountains improved significantly.