China
22:11, 24-Jul-2017
Sansha: From deserted islands into habitable city
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China's southernmost and youngest prefecture-level city Sansha, in Hainan Province, has changed from isolated islands into a livable new city, five years after its establishment.
When it was established, the harsh conditions of high temperatures, high humidity and lack of water made it hard to grow any trees in Sansha. Until today, thanks to local government’s unremitting efforts, nearly 140,000 trees are thriving on the islands.
Sansha has also come up with creative ways for eco-protection by launching online booking for adopting trees as a business. Through an app, anyone can sponsor a tree to help green the islands at the cost of only 300 yuan, or about 50 US dollars, a year.
Besides making the city green, local government has also been working to protect marine life. The city has set up a protection zone for sea turtles on Beidao Island, making it a cozy home for sea turtle babies.
On Yongxing Island, where the city government is located, schools, hospitals, business halls and a storage reserve center have also been built. Today’s Sansha has finally become a real “home” to its citizens.
2598km