Reforestation gains traction in Yan'an as villagers see incomes rise

"Rains in summer used to cause flash floods that destroyed paddy fields in the ravines, and in some cases killed people," Hou said. "That happens much less now, because the trees on the slope drink the rains dry."

The enthusiasm to reforest farmland was also fueled by government efforts to help poor villagers switch to more sustainable and lucrative farming practices.

Apart from subsidies calculated by area, farmers also receive financial assistance and free training sessions to establish apple orchards, grow vegetables or raise pigs and cattle, which Hou said have raised their annual per capita income from hundreds of yuan to more than 10,000 yuan ($1,399).

Wang Binqiang, a farmer in Yan'an who has relinquished about 2 hectares of land in stages since 1999, said his family of five used to depend on a meager income from growing corn, soybean and millet. But the reforestation campaign had forced him to abandon such farming, and government assistance in 2010 had helped him learn how to run an apple orchard.

"As the trees begin to bear fruit, the income soars," Wang, 45, said. "I've earned 70,000 yuan this year, and I expect the number to top 200,000 yuan next year."

Yang Shuwei, the head of Fengzhuang village in Yan'an's northern suburbs, said the reforestation campaign, now in its 20th year, had revolutionized locals' approach to farming.