In recent years, there has been a heightened interest in agricultural forestry, ecological environment, and related subjects.This year marked the official establishment of "National Ecology Day" in China, with the aim of bolstering public attention and awareness towards ecological environment protection and biodiversity conservation. Recently, People's Daily Online invited Shen Guofang, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and professor at Beijing Forestry University, to partake in an interview regarding the green development of forestry.

Regarding China's endeavors in ecological conservation, Shen Guofang highlighted the significant contributions made to forestry development. "The establishment of National Ecology Day means a lot to the industry. Now we have two festivals about forestry, Chinese Arbor Day in April and National Ecology Day in August." Among the various initiatives undertaken for forestry development, Shen identified three events that warrant special attention:"The first one is that China's ecological main body - green vegetation, forest and grass, have developed well in recent years with a increase of forest coverage rate from 12% in the reform and opening up to 24% in the current, and a quarter of the world's increased green area is created by China, which has been recognized globally.


The second significant development is the establishment of a system of protected natural areas, predominantly comprising national parks, with nature reserves serving as the foundation and various natural parks functioning as complementary components. These protected areas currently encompass approximately 10% of the country's total land area.

The third aspect pertains to China's extensive implementation of ecological construction projects. Notably, the Three-North Shelter Forest Program has been established as an ecological barrier for Northeast, North, and Northwest China. In conjunction with other large-scale initiatives such as natural forest protection and afforestation, these projects have significantly contributed to ecological conservation, showcasing substantial progress that has garnered global attention.

Regarding the interplay between forestry development and ecological conservation, Shen upheld the belief that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets. He emphasized the importance of adhering to sustainable forest management practices that balance the needs of the present with those of future generations.