How China turns green resources into rural prosperity

In China, protecting nature also means creating new opportunities for local communities to prosper. In Shaoyang, central China's Hunan Province, rice grown alongside efforts to protect the endangered crested ibis sells for 6 yuan ($0.84) more per kilogram than ordinary rice. The city is also embracing bamboo as an alternative to plastic, turning it into toothbrushes, tableware and other products for domestic and overseas markets. The industry generates 8.7 billion yuan ($1.22 billion) in annual economic benefits. In Yucun, east China's Zhejiang Province, an abandoned quarry has been transformed into a waterfall cafe, attracting tourists and creating new income streams. Thanks to the tourism boom, collective operating income in 2025 reached 51.12 million yuan ($7.16 million) across the wider Yucun village cluster, which includes Yucun and its neighboring villages, averaging 2.13 million yuan ($298,000) per village. From wildlife-friendly farming and bamboo alternatives to plastic and eco-tourism, these examples show how ecological protection can create economic opportunities and boost rural incomes.