10 years on: Bama benefits from green development

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Hechi's Bama Yao autonomous county has been insisting on following a green development path, which has contributed to its high-quality economic and social development.

In the past decade, Bama has focused on afforestation and promoted its rocky desertification control project. As a result, its forest coverage rate has increased from 70.7 percent in 2015 to 79.23 percent in 2022, an increase of 8.53 percentage points.

Bama has also promoted its rural leisure agriculture, rural tourism, healthcare industry, under-forest economy, and other green industries, helping the county to overcome poverty.

During the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-20), the county received 30.9 million domestic and foreign tourists, an increase of 129.07 percent over the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-15). The total tourism consumption generated totaled 30 billion yuan ($4 billion), an increase of 150.07 percent year-on-year.

At present, there are 20 forest healthcare enterprises in the county, providing employment to 32,400 farmers and attracting around 600,000 tourists per year.

In 2021, the county developed an area of 715,000 mu (47,667 hectares) for its under-forest economy, generating an output value of 770 million yuan and providing 72,000 people employed in the forest economy.

The scenery of Bama Cifu Lake Scenic Area. [Photo/Hechi Daily]