Man transforms barren hills into thriving Torreya grandis forests in E China's Anhui

Huang Guozhong smiles as he checks on the growth of Torreya grandis nuts in the Torreya grandis forests of Gaojia village, Baidi town, Jingde county, Xuancheng city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)

Huang Guozhong and his wife recently checked on the growth of Torreya grandis nuts in the Torreya grandis forests of Gaojia village, Baidi town, Jingde county, Xuancheng city, east China's Anhui Province.

For 52-year-old Huang, a native of Jingde county, these trees represent 12 unforgettable years of his life. During those years, he transformed the once-barren hills in his hometown into flourishing Torreya grandis forests.

With a background in studying finance, he had built a successful business in the county seat, earning his "first bucket of gold."

Photo shows Torreya grandis nuts in the Torreya grandis forests of Gaojia village, Baidi town, Jingde county, Xuancheng city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)

His venture into the cultivation of Torreya grandis started almost by chance.

"During a Spring Festival gathering with friends, someone mentioned Torreya cultivation and half-jokingly suggested we could 'make big money together,'" Huang recalled.

A woman works in the Torreya grandis forests of Gaojia village, Baidi town, Jingde county, Xuancheng city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)

"I casually agreed, but my friend took it seriously and arranged for 20,000 seedlings right after the holiday," he said.

In 2013, Huang leased 400 mu (about 26.67 hectares) of former logging sites scheduled for reforestation. "The hills were virtually barren, with neither trees nor roads," he added.

He planted his first 40 mu with Torreya seedlings, and gradually expanded beyond Baidi town to the neighboring Jingyang and Xinglong towns. Today, Huang's Torreya cultivation covers 1,000 mu across the region.

Photo shows the Torreya grandis forests of Gaojia village, Baidi town, Jingde county, Xuancheng city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)

Torreya grandis requires a decade from planting to fruit-bearing. In 2023, his earliest plantings finally yielded their first harvest.

"In the first year of harvest, we harvested over 10,000 kilograms of green nuts. Last year, the figure exceeded 25,000 kilograms, and this year it's expected to surpass 50,000 kilograms," Huang said.

Jiang Jianxing, an official of Baidi town, reflected on the transformation: "I've witnessed the change from barren hills to lush Torreya grandis forests."

Photo shows green hills in Jingde county, Xuancheng city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)

This man-made landscape stands as a vivid example of implementing the "two mountains" concept, which is "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets."

"It also reflects our aspirations for a greener future," Jiang added.