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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
Hangzhou, January 14 (Xinhua) — Wang Shulun, a former logger, never imagined he would one day become a guardian of mountain forests. Every morning, he climbs to an altitude of about 1,200 meters in a nature reserve to observe the local flora and fauna.
"We've evolved from loggers and hunters to forest rangers and research assistants. The tools we use have also changed—from axes to GPS devices and patrol loggers," said Wang Shulun.
Wang Shulong's patrol area, Qianjiangyuan, is located at the junction of Zhejiang, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces in eastern China. This area covers 252 square kilometers and is part of the proposed Qianjiangyuan-Baishanzu National Park.
Globally, the areas between 23 and 33 degrees north latitude are mostly covered by deserts or sparsely wooded grasslands. However, Qianjiangyuan stands out in this belt as a lush oasis, home to sparse subtropical lowland evergreen broadleaf forests.
Recent studies show that the area is home to 2,244 plant species, 535 macromycete species, and 2,427 animal species. "The landscape and ecosystems of Qianjiangyuan, as a key biological gene pool in eastern China, have significant conservation value," said Yu Shunhai, director of the monitoring center for the area.
Monitoring and managing such vast and complex forests may seem like a daunting task, but technology has come to the rescue. The Zhejiang National Forest Biodiversity Observation and Research Station in Qianjiangyuan has created an integrated space-air-ground monitoring system that combines technologies and equipment such as satellite remote sensing, tower cranes capable of reaching the forest canopy, and ground-based sensors.
Deep in the forests, a massive tower crane acts as a robotic arm, lifting instruments to the treetops so researchers can observe biodiversity from above.
On the ground, technology combines with local expertise. "I grew up in these mountains. I know where muntjacs drink and where wild boars make their dens," says Wang Shulun. His experience makes him ideally suited to manage a network of hidden infrared cameras in the forests.
"Every time I take out my memory card, there's a new surprise," he said, noting that in recent years, cameras have increasingly been capturing the activities of rare animal species.
He said cameras once captured a touching scene of a mother black bear with two cubs, indicating a stable population of this species in Qianjiangyuan. "It's always exciting to see rare animals captured on camera," he added.
Wang Shulun is not alone in this endeavor. When experts and students from research institutes and universities across China come to the region to conduct research, they are supported by a group of hard-working local residents who participate in fieldwork, collect samples, and record data, making the research possible.
In addition to daily monitoring, another important area of research is systematic, large-scale surveys. Last year, a 134-day forest census was conducted at the 24-hectare Gutianshan monitoring site in Qianjiangyuan District.
Technology played a key role in this large-scale undertaking. Chen Lei, director of the aforementioned station, noted that the research pioneered the implementation of a fully paperless data collection system using a mobile monitoring app, marking a significant technological breakthrough in field observation.
“This marks a further standardisation and modernisation of our data collection and management processes,” he said.
The forest census was conducted by a diverse team of 76 participants, including researchers, university students, and local residents. They collaborated on everything from tree marking to species identification.
During the research, more than 330,000 reliable data points were collected, providing compelling scientific evidence that helps analyze the ecosystem and make decisions on preserving the national park's ecology in the future, Chen Lei added.
For Wang Shulun, data, photographs, and video footage are just the beginning. "What the infrared cameras are capturing is just the tip of the iceberg," he said.
As the guardian of these mountains, he believes that deep within the dense forests, many other species thrive under his watchful eye. -0-
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