On October 13, the 21st Hunan Zhangjiajie Forest Protection Festival opened at Fengluanxi National Forest Park in Sangzhi County. Pan Biling, vice chairman of the CPPCC Hunan Provincial Committee, announced the event open. Guests gathered in Sangzhi to explore the path of ecological protection and green development in this historical revolutionary base area.
  
Themed "Protecting Green Homes, Empowering Red Land," this year's festival focused on the integrated development of red or revolutionary culture and green ecology, exploring a new model for the coordinated development of revolutionary culture and ecological protection. The festival for the first time incorporated the concept of building the Greater Zhangjiajie International Tourism Area, inviting Olympic champion Wang Liqin to hold a public-benefit table tennis exhibition tour. It also organized field trips for guests to Jiutian Cave and the He Long Memorial Hall, along with a red-themed ideological and political study. A series of supporting activities such as a white tea promotion conference and a themed evening gala were also held.
 
At the opening ceremony, the "Zhangjiajie Forest Protection Declaration" was officially released, highlighting the region's ecological protection achievements. The Forestry Department of Hunan Province and the Zhangjiajie Municipal People's Government signed a cooperation agreement on site, reaching a consensus on coordinated ecological development.
  
Zhangjiajie, where the Second Front Army of the Red Army set out on the Long March, is rich in red resources. As an important ecological barrier in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, it has a forest coverage rate of 70.17%, the highest provincewide, with prominent biodiversity and an excellent ecological foundation.
 
The Zhangjiajie Forest Protection Festival is the only public-interest festival themed on forest protection in China. As an important platform for spreading green ideas, it has been listed among "China's Top 10 Natural Ecology Festivals." Going forward, the local government will hold firmly to the ecological red line, promote land greening and forest landscape improvement, and revitalize green forestry industries, continuing to turn ecological advantages into strengths that enrich the people and invigorate the city.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn. 

Translator: Pang Yuehui 

Chinese source: Hunan Daily