Nantong's continued protection and preservation of its natural environment has seen the prefecture-level city in Jiangsu province become a scenic location of great beauty along the Yangtze River.

The city's many tourist attractions with stunning natural environments and landscapes took center stage at a recent publicity event for a media delegation touring sites along the Yangtze River.

Wushan Mountain scenic area, one of the many landmarks in Nantong, is undergoing a program of environmental preservation and conservation to further boost its attractiveness to tourists, according to the city government.

In 2017, the Nantong government started a revitalization project in the area, covering forests and farmland. The project aims to inject greater biological diversity into the scenic spot while staying true to its original environment.

"We will only dredge the original waterways, build basic tourism facilities, keep the plants as they are, and avoid damaging to the original landscape," said Huan Songtao, chief engineer of the management committee at the Langshan Mountain scenic spot.

Huan said that the project is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Thanks to a similar project, Jindao ecological park in the county-level city of Rugao in Nantong was listed as a national 3A scenic spot.

"In the past, the park was just a barren beach along the Yangtze River," said Li Xuefeng, director of the reception center at the park. Today, its environment is better than ever, he added.

The park's origin stems from the planting of trees, flowers and shrubs by a group of young people 60 years ago, said Li.

He added that each generation since has sought to maintain the beauty of the area.

"With the combination of nature and culture, the park embodies a low-carbon, ecological and green philosophy," Li said.

As the park becomes more and more popular with tourists, its facilities are growing as well, with the construction underway on an entertainment center, physical examination center and a mini golf club.

Another scenic spot in Rugao visited by the media delegation was Longyou Lake. The 505.86-hectare lake is dotted with countless islands and ringed by a forested coastline.

Since becoming a tourist attraction, Longyou Lake has welcomed millions of visitors. The scenic spot's management committee said that it is building more hotels and clubs so as to improve facilities for tourists.

Nantong's rivers too have not escaped the government's push to protect the local environment.

The Haohe River, a 1,000-year-old moat which circles Nantong, is one of the city's four ancient moats and remains the most intact attraction in the center of the city.

In the 1960s and 70s, due to the lack of planning and management, the river's natural environment was seriously damaged.

In 1985, the local government recognized the issues facing the river and enacted strict management policies to improve it.

The Nantong government tore down many buildings surrounding the river including four large waste transfer stations and placed 350 waste dischargers under strict control.

To date, more than 2 billion yuan ($314 million) has been allocated to river management with regards to improving water quality and the planting of vegetation.

liangkaiyan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 05/19/2018 page12)