Tongzhou district in Nantong has been honored as a provincial demonstration district for its ecological civilization development, according to a list recently issued by the Department of Ecology and the Environment of Jiangsu Province. It is the first district in the city to win the title.

The district has put forward several plans to develop ecological civilization since 2013. A total of 249 relevant projects were carried out between 2016 and 2018, receiving a total of 8.2 billion yuan ($1.15 billion) in investment.

Over the past few years, Tongzhou district has been pursuing environmentally-friendly industrial development. A series of environmental projects have been introduced in the district involving energy-efficient building materials, facilities, and more.

A number of seriously polluting local enterprises have been ordered to shut down or make changes in recent years. As a result, the environment has significantly improved, and air quality has reached the Class II national standard.

A docking system has also been established through cooperation among local departments in environmental protection, discipline inspection, supervision, and more. In addition, working stations for environmental protection have been set up in 15 towns and sub-districts throughout the district.

Tongzhou is also encouraging locals to engage in an eco-friendly lifestyle, and it has built several environmental leisure areas and gardens, including the Zhou Ji Green Expo Garden and the Flowers Town. The forest coverage rate in the district is currently at 25.54 percent.

A bird's-eye view of the Zhou Ji Green Expo Garden [Photo/vcg.com]