Shanxi province has invested 49.50 million yuan ($7.16 million) in the creation and protection of 45 nature reserves at the provincial level and above in recent years, according to the Shanxi Provincial Department of Finance.

Shanxi, an inland province on the Loess Plateau and on the east bank of the middle reaches of the Yellow River, has complex landforms -- such as mountains, plateaus and basins, and forest and wetland eco-systems. There are abundant flora and fauna in Shanxi with over 1,000 kinds of trees and some 440 kinds of wild animals, making it a region where biodiversity is rich. 

The funds have been used for eco-protection and reconstruction, the rejuvenation of local nature reserves, field patrols, the promotion of eco-protection, and environmental monitoring.