Should we withdraw from planting flowers and trees on rural land in Ningbo?

Siming Mountain, known as Ningbo’s “green lung”, is an important ecological barrier and source of drinking water. In recent years, it has become a flower and tree planting base. The reporter found that while a large amount of flowers and trees were sold, a large amount of fertile soil was also taken away, posing a threat to the ecological security and forest resource protection of the Siming Mountain region.

The reporter learned from the Ningbo Municipal Forestry Bureau yesterday that in response to the increasingly serious situation of deforestation and reclamation due to planting flowers and trees in the Siming Mountain area in recent years, the Ningbo Municipal Government made the "About Strictly Prohibiting Deforestation and Reclamation in the Siming Mountain Area and Effectively Strengthening the Forest The Decision on Resource Protection (hereinafter referred to as the “Decision”) clearly requires the demarcation of three types of areas in the Siming Mountain area. In areas where development is prohibited, flowers must be “returned to forests” within 5 years.

Current situation

Excessive planting of flowers and trees takes away tens of thousands of tons of soil every year

With the continuous development of the market economy and the increasing demand for flowers (seedlings) for urban and rural greening, There has been a significant increase. The flowers and trees industry in Siming Mountain District continues to develop, and the area of ??flowers and trees continues to expand. By the end of 2011, the area of ??flowers and trees developed in the Siming Mountain area had reached 113,700 acres, accounting for 10.9% of the forest area in the region.

"Due to the disorderly and excessive planting of flowers and trees, deforestation and reclamation have become very serious, and forest resources have been damaged." Wang Zhiqing, a senior engineer from the Ningbo Forestry Bureau, said that according to statistics, from 2006 to 2009, four The forest area in Mingshan Town decreased by 17,000 acres. In addition, an average of about 1 million flowers (seedlings) are sold in this area every year. The seedlings sold are all equipped with mud balls. If each plant takes away 10 kilograms of soil, the soil taken away with the seedlings every year is more than 10,000 tons.

A large amount of topsoil is lost, and geological disasters occur frequently

A remote sensing monitoring conducted by the Ningbo Water Conservancy Department in 2009 showed that the total area of ??soil and water loss in the Siming Mountain area was approximately 129.81 square kilometers, accounting for 10% of the city's total area. 25.85% of the total area of ??soil and water loss. "A large amount of topsoil has been lost, causing frequent geological disasters." Wang Zhiqing said that the towns in the Siming Mountain area are among the key mountain towns in Ningbo that are prone to geological disasters. In early June 2012, continuous rainy weather caused many road sections in the Siming Mountain area to be in danger of landslides.

Planting flowers and trees has also damaged the original farmland infrastructure to varying degrees. At the same time, the extensive use of chemical fertilizers and highly toxic pesticides has led to water pollution.

Policy

Seven towns and villages in the Siming Mountain area are designated as Category III areas

The reporter saw that the "Decision" requires the demarcation of prohibited areas in the Siming Mountain area. There are three types of areas: development zones, restricted development zones and industrial improvement zones.

Prohibited development areas include: ecological public welfare forest areas, natural broad-leaved forest areas, within the first ridge line on both sides of provincial roads, geological disaster-prone areas, soil thickness less than 30 cm and exposed rock areas , woodland with a slope of more than 25 degrees and first-level drinking water source protection areas;

Restricted development areas include: woodland with a slope of 20 to 25 degrees, a soil thickness of more than 30 centimeters, and woodland without potential geological hazards;

Industrial improvement areas include: woodlands with slopes below 20 degrees, deep soil layers, and difficult to cause soil erosion.

Wang Zhiqing said that the "Decision" requires Yuyao City, Fenghua City, and Yinzhou District to scientifically delineate three types of areas, specifically implement them in the hilltop plot, and formulate drawings before January 31, 2013. Announcements were sent to all villages and farmers in the area to let farmers in mountainous areas know which hilltop plots are prohibited from planting flowers and trees and which plots can be planted with flowers and trees.

The Siming Mountain area referred to in the "Decision" mainly refers to Simingshan Town, Dalan Town, Luting Township, and Liangnong Town in Yuyao City, Xikou Town in Fenghua City, and Zhangshui in Yinzhou District. The area under the jurisdiction of the town and Longguan Township involves a total of 7 towns.

Prohibited development areas must "return flowers and trees to forests" within 5 years

It is understood that planting flowers and trees is prohibited in prohibited development areas, and flower and tree planting areas are not allowed to be expanded in restricted development zones. Industrial promotion areas Flowers and trees can be planted inside, but deforestation for reclamation is strictly prohibited.

The reporter saw that the "Decision" requires that plots of land that have been planted with flowers and trees in the development zone are prohibited from being completely withdrawn from the production of flowers and trees within 5 years from February 1, 2013 and ecological restoration is required. The three cities (districts) are required to ) The People's Government has formulated an annual plan for returning flowers (seedlings) to forests in accordance with the general requirement of completely withdrawing from flower and tree production within five years, and has strictly organized and implemented it. Those who have not withdrawn within 5 years will be ordered to adopt closure measures to cultivate soil and water conservation forests. When exiting, the excavation and transplantation of flowers and trees must be carried out in accordance with the relevant regulations on forest harvesting management; flower farmers must be guided to plant precious tree species on the exiting flower and tree lands, cultivate them into ecological public welfare forests, and carry out municipal ecological benefit compensation.

The planting area of ??flowers and trees is not allowed to be expanded in the restricted development zone. Economic forest species and precious tree species such as tea, camellia oleifera, torreya, and Chinese medicinal materials are planted to restore it to forested land.

The industrial improvement area encourages the development of forest-specific industries such as famous and high-quality fruits that do not affect ecological protection, as well as ecologically efficient industries such as forest tourism, sightseeing agriculture, boutique agriculture, and circular agriculture.