The China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group (CECEP) has made significant progress in the restoration and protection of the Qinling Mountains, which sit close to the city of Xi’an, Shaanxi province, over the past year.
The initiative, undertaken by the China Qiyuan Engineering Corporation – a subsidiary of the CECEP – is vital for promoting green development, advancing the construction of a Beautiful China and safeguarding the Qinling Mountains, often referred to as China’s central water tower.
Located on the northern slopes of the Qinling Mountains, the project involves the restoration of four key areas. It encompasses seven major categories of projects and 35 sub-projects, including replenishing groundwater, biodiversity protection, water source conservation, land reclamation, geological environment management, soil erosion control, comprehensive watershed ecological management and intelligent control systems. In total, the environmental protection and restoration area spans 35,000 hectares.
China Qiyuan oversees comprehensive management services for the water and soil conservation project in the red clay distribution area of the Li Mountains Shallow Hill Area (Phase I), a sub-project of the Qinling Mountains Project. By employing new ecological management concepts, technologies and processes, the project successfully transformed red clay areas into green landscapes, restoring Li Mountains’ environmental vitality and reinforcing the ecological barrier of the Qinling Mountains.
Rainwater easily erodes the exposed red clay slopes, causing significant soil loss. With low vegetation coverage and poor water retention, the red clay area is prone to erosion, landslides, and mudslides. Consequently, the Li Mountains Shallow Hill Area has become a primary source for sediment and soil erosion for the Bahe River Basin.
To prevent erosion, the team created several one-meter-wide horizontal terraces on the steep mountain slopes. These terraces collect soil and water from higher elevations, while ecological retaining walls hold the soil and water securely in place.
To address the challenge of vegetation growth on red clay, the team adopted soil improvement measures and added water-retaining agents to ensure trees could thrive. Tree species such as Chinese arborvitae, black locust and oil pine were planted, achieving a survival rate of over 95 percent.
Encountering rare red clay posed significant construction difficulties and safety risks. To overcome these challenges, the project’s managers employed multiple safety rope anchoring methods that were tailored to the steep and rugged terrain, ensuring the safety of workers on the site.
For transporting large quantities of seedlings, the team used drones, zip-lines and manual carrying methods, while drones will also be used in the future for maintenance. Additionally, three representative slopes were selected for demonstration designs, establishing different types of ecological restoration schemes and conducting key technology pilot projects to provide references for rapid advancement in subsequent phases.
To date, comprehensive soil erosion control has been completed on over 863.5 hectares of land, achieving a soil erosion control rate of 29.26 percent and increasing the overall vegetation coverage to 11.7 percent.
The project will significantly enhance the functions of water conservation, soil preservation and biodiversity maintenance on the northern slopes of the Qinling Mountains, substantially improving the quality of the local ecosystem and strengthening the national ecological security barrier.
The CECEP remains committed to advancing the project, fully protecting the Qinling Mountains and preserving their vitality.
Be First to Comment