The improved environment in the city of Yuncheng in Shanxi province attracts many birds. [Photo/Shanxi Daily] 

North China's Shanxi province, which once had among the most serious soil erosion in the country, has seen an improved environment after years of environmental treatment. 

In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the area of soil erosion in Shanxi was 108,000 square kilometers, of which 67,600 sq km was in the Yellow River basin, and annual sediment in the Yellow River was 366 million metric tons. 

Since November 2012, Shanxi has invested more than 600 million yuan ($94.03 million) in the construction of key soil and water conservation projects. 

The province has also improved its system of laws and regulations on soil and water conservation, and has further strengthened related supervision and law enforcement. It has focused on strengthening the prevention and supervision of man-made soil erosion, establishing a long-term water and soil conservation mechanism.

After years of continuous treatment, the area of soil erosion in the province has been reduced to 58,900 sq km and the area of soil erosion in the Yellow River basin in the province has been reduced to 37,500 sq km. 

Ningwu county in Shanxi province combines environmental improvement with tourism to help locals raise their living standards. [Photo/Shanxi Daily]

Meanwhile, Shanxi has promoted poverty alleviation through soil and water conservation and ecological improvement projects, and more key soil and water conservation projects are being carried out in poor areas. 

Investment in water and soil conservation in poor areas has accounted for over 85 percent of total investment in water and soil conservation. The construction of shallows along dams, horizontal terraces, and high-efficiency farmlands, as well as the planting of cash forests combining economic and environmental benefits, have been carried out, increasing incomes for poor farmers. 

A total of 1.09 billion yuan has been invested in the construction of more than 666 sq km of horizontal terraces, and 530 million yuan has been invested in the construction of 50 sq km of shallows along dams since November 2012. 

In addition, Shanxi has built small sewage treatment facilities to improve the ecology and demonstration parks of soil and water conservation science and technology.

In 2021, a total of 14 million yuan in investment has gone to support the construction of small sewage treatment facilities in the province, and five national demonstration parks for soil and water conservation science and technology are under construction.