China's National Ecology Day, celebrated on August 15, serves as a powerful reminder to honor environmental stewardship and celebrate the champions who have devoted their lives to preserving the planet.

At 57, Lu Quanlin has dedicated nearly 40 years of his life to safeguarding the forests of the Greater Hinggan Mountains in China's northernmost city of Mohe. Alongside his team, he focuses on forest protection, fire prevention and wildlife management at Mohe Forest Farm, which has been a pillar of conservation since its establishment in 1955. The total area of the plantation there has reached 36,400 hectares, with a forest coverage rate of 92.7 percent.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited the forest farm on September 6, 2023. He examined the growth of natural forests and encouraged forest farm workers to guard this "treasure house." During his visit, Xi also showed his concern about the growth of forest crops and learned about specialty forest products in the Greater Hinggan Mountains.

Since 2000, about a quarter of the world's new green areas have come from China, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. China's total preserved area of planted forests currently stands at 87.6 million hectares, ranking first globally.