Ranger in E China's Jiangxi guards forest during Spring Festival holiday

During the Spring Festival holiday, a forest ranger continued his daily mountain patrol in east China's Jiangxi Province, safeguarding the verdant landscape with unwavering dedication.

Wang Ronghui works in a forest farm in Yangzhou village, Wuning county, Jiujiang city of Jiangxi. Dressed in camouflage patrol gear, with an armband reading "forest ranger" and a long-handled machete in hand, Wang is ready for another day of forest patrol.

Photo shows Wang Ronghui. (People's Daily Online/Qiu Ye)

"We cannot afford to let our guard down, especially during the Spring Festival celebrations," Wang said, adding that for forest rangers, holidays are always the busiest times.

Located in the Lushan Xihai scenic spot, the picturesque forest farm sees fishing enthusiasts occasionally. Wang's responsibilities include reminding visitors not to start fires and to properly discard cigarette butts, and staying vigilant against potential fire hazards, illegal logging, and poaching.

As he trekked into the heart of the woods, he stopped from time to time to observe the situation in the distance. When he saw unwanted tree branches in the middle of the path, he deftly cleared them away with his machete.

"Our primary duties include detecting and promptly addressing fires, illegal logging and poaching. We must also report any sign of pests or diseases, and remove fallen branches and deadwood," he explained.

Wang's journey from city dweller to guardian of the forests was unexpected.

In 2015, at 47 years old, he made a bold decision—becoming a forest ranger against the wishes of his family and friends. Since then, the mountains and rivers have become his daily companions.

Aerial photo shows the forest farm Wang Ronghui works in Yangzhou village, Wuning county, Jiujiang city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo/Li Ning)

"At first, my supervisor was worried I wouldn't last," Wang recalled. But day after day of patrolling deepened his love for the forest. Now, he spends two hours daily guarding over 20,000 mu (about 1,333.33 hectares) of protected national forest.

"I'm very familiar with this area - the plants, trees, and chirping birds. Even the trails seem alive in my eyes," Wang said, with his eyes sparkling with passion.

As the ecosystem improves, the forest sees increasing numbers of wild animals such as hares and muntjacs. "I often have unexpected encounters with wild boars," he said.

A mini program about patrolling on Wang's smartphone shows that as of Feb. 4, he had worked without rest for 35 days this year, travelling 381 kilometers.

Over the past 11 years, the forest farm has not experienced one major incident of illegal logging or fire. In addition, the forest coverage rate has reached over 99 percent. This achievement is inseparable from Wang's commitment.

There are over 20 forest rangers like Wang in Wuning, who steadfastly work at the farthest reaches of the forest farms.