A trading platform is launched in Huzhou's Anji county, through which enterprises or farmers apply for rewards for planting bamboo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A trading platform was recently launched in Huzhou's Anji county, allowing enterprises and farmers to redeem rewards for planting bamboo.

The platform is the first of its kind set up by a county in the nation.

Bamboo is considered as an effective carbon sink and important nature-based approach to mitigating global warming. One study estimates that a one-hectare bamboo plantation could store 306 metric tons of carbon over a 60-year period compared with 178 tons for Chinese fir trees.

Anji currently has 870,000 mu (58,000 hectares) of moso bamboo forest.

Anji had in 2012 started the research on the carbon sink function of bamboo forests by teaming up with the National Forestry and Grassland Administration and Zhejiang A&F University.

That same year, a 21,000-mu bamboo forest in the county was designated the world's first pilot zone for the carbon storage of bamboo and its products.

In December, the central government rolled out a guideline encouraging local governments to construct trading platforms for enterprises and farmers to exchange environmental benefits brought by their bamboo afforestation efforts for money.

"I never expected that fresh air in the bamboo forest could be exchanged for real money," said Ying Zhongdong, Party chief of Dali village, Shanchuan township, Anji county.

The village obtained more than 275,000 yuan ($42,307) in collective income for planting 5,425 mu of bamboo forests, according to Ying.