Xiangzhou District, Zhuhai

Nearly 200 mostly young people answered the call of the Zhuhai Natural Resources Bureau on April 21 to "green the earth and spread green in the heart."

Zhuhai was one of many municipalities that day promoting Forest Cities for the benefit of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area residents.

On Yeli Island in Xiangzhou, a student called upon volunteers to disseminate green concepts, adopt green lifestyles, and participate in plantings. Guests and volunteers were among 200 who each signed up to be an advocator, guardian, and practitioner of the Forest City.

Two-hundred young people sign up [Photo by Zhang Xiaohong / Zhuhai Daily]

Zhuhai was named a National Forest City by the State Forestry Administration in September 2016. By 2018 it had 87,800 mu (14,465 acres) of planted carbon-sink forests, 373.45 sq km (144 sq miles) of ecological landscape forests, and 150 countryside afforestation and beautification sites.

Nineteen forest parks, including Xiangshan Lake, Jianfeng Mt, and Guishan Island, plus 11 wetland parks such as Hengqin National, Huafa Aquatic Villa Provincial, and Jinwan Damenkou have opened to the public.

The current forest coverage rate in Zhuhai is 32.16 percent. The city will plant 13,300 mu (2,190 acres) of carbon-sink forests and 25,400 mu (4,185 acres) of young and middle-aged forests, adding (or improving) a wetland and advancing nine countryside afforestation and beautification projects this year.