Chinese environmentalists delighted as Beijing inquiry backs Dunhuang deforestation claims

Central government team finds significant deforestation at state-owned Yangguan Forest Farm in Gansu province to make way for commercial vineyards
‘By rejecting the claims of the Gansu government, the [central government] team showed the inquiry wasn’t just a cover-up’, ecology expert says

China society

Guo Rui

Published: 1:09pm, 20 Mar 2021

Why you can trust SCMP

Environmental groups in China are celebrating a victory for “ecological protection” after a central government investigation backed up claims of widespread illegal deforestation at a forest farm in the country’s arid north west.

A report published on Friday concluded that over a period of more than 30 years large parts of the state-owned Yangguan Forest Farm near the ancient Silk Road city of Dunhuang in Gansu province had been razed to make way for vineyards. The investigation, by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration and the natural resources, and ecology and environment ministries, was started after an inquiry by provincial authorities in January – sparked by media reports and a public outcry – dismissed the allegations.

After nearly two months of field investigations, drone mapping, remote sensing and interviews, the central government team ruled that there had been significant deforestation – centred on the southwestern section of the farm – though not to the extent claimed by local media reports.

Since 1990, the size of the forested area had been reduced by 2.23 sq km (0.86 square miles) – or 42 per cent of the total – while the amount of land given over to vineyards had tripled to 2.37 sq km, it said.

It also said that about 0.38 sq km of the deforested land had been used by the privately owned Dunhuang Wine Company from 2013 to 2014 to cultivate grapes and jujube trees.

Yangguan Forest Farm was established in the 1960s in a bid to counter the effects of desertification in the Dunhuang area. Photo: Weibo

The forest farm was established in the 1960s in a bid to counter the effects of desertification in the Dunhuang area, which lies to the southeast of the Kumtag Desert. But deforestation, along with unlicensed logging and the mismanagement of land and water resources had undermined the project, the report said.

It also accused the city government of misappropriating funds provided under the national forest ecological compensation scheme and illegally leasing parts of the forest to private enterprises. A further inquiry had been initiated into possible dereliction of duty by government departments and officials.

In the meantime, the Gansu provincial government had drawn up a plan to restore the forest farm to its intended state as soon as possible, the report said.

Yang Zhaoxia, deputy director of the research centre for ecological law at Beijing Forestry University, said the central government investigation and its findings showed the significance of media coverage of such issues and the efforts of environmental NGOs and scholars.

The China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation filed a lawsuit against Yangguan Forest Farm and private winemaker Dunhuang Wine in 2019, alleging the forest had been destroyed so the company could plant grapevines.

Chinese environmental filmmaker says he hopes ban on solid waste imports is just the beginning

“By rejecting the claims of the Gansu government, the [central government] team showed the inquiry wasn’t just a cover-up. It’s very gratifying and indicates progress in governance,” Yang said.

The investigation was also indicative of the central government’s growing awareness of ecological issues, he said.

“I hope there will be more ecological protection litigation in the future,” he said. “The ecological damage in many parts of our country is very serious but less well known. This case helps to promote public participation and information disclosure.”

But the Dunhuang case was not over yet, Yang said.

“Central administrative power has outweighed local power … but the courts now need to play their part in making sure those responsible are held to account.”