The Langshan (Wolf Mountain) Tourism Resort, which centers around five mountains on the north shore of the Yangtze River in Nantong City, has reached a new milestone in environmental protection.

The area has completed digital recordings of 112 trees over 100 years old, 510 trees over 50 years old, and key trees under 100 years old. It has adopted a “one tree, one measure” care approach while constantly improving the landscaping and ecological restoration.

By the end of June, more than 600 ancient trees in Nantong had their own digital files, providing detailed information of each tree's health status and protection efforts.

For instance, file No. 1049 for a ginkgo tree records that “the tree is located in the east side of the Farutang, is 326 years old, and has a diameter at breast height of about 243 centimeters. The environment around the tree is poor, many parasitic plants are on the tree, and the tree roots have trouble breathing. The protection measures include breaking away the cement pavement, removing parasitic plants and implementing anti-corrosion treatment.” 

Lyu Jianhua, deputy director of the tourist attraction, said the detailed recording and targeted measures will provide a scientific and accurate solution for ecological restoration and protection across the five mountains and areas along the river, which span about 17 square kilometers in total and include 14 kilometers of riverside.

Historically, the area was filled with chaotic wharves, yards, parks and enterprises since the 1980s. In 2016, a massive clean-up was launched after inspectors from the central government identified environmental problems affecting the Nantong section of the Yangtze River.

Over the years, Nantong has organized more than 20 special campaigns with a total investment of 12 billion yuan to address various concerns, such as pollution from ships, illegal wharves and protection of drinking water sources. The city has closed or relocated 203 polluting enterprises, demolished illegal constructions around the river with a total floor area of 65,000 square meters, phased out freight transportation activities, and restored 12 kilometers of riverside. The city has also added more than 6 square kilometers of new forests and green spaces.