Sichuan township swaps out coal for ecotourism

Zhou said that to nurture the growth of tourism, authorities have allocated funds to renovate rural toilets, improve the environment, and upgrade the township square and other public facilities.

"We have also launched regular performances, such as traditional dragon dances or music played by bamboo-made musical instruments, to enrich the experience for tourists here," he said.

Longcanggou has some 70 rural guesthouses and 80 restaurants. The establishment of bird-watching trails is projected to attract an additional 12,000 visitors each year, generating more than 5 million yuan ($736,000) in tourism revenue.

Yingjing county is also home to the first nature-education school inside China's Giant Panda National Park, named the Panda International Forest Camp. The camp has welcomed more than 80,000 visitors since its opening in 2021.

The camp, jointly managed by the local national park authority, tourism officials and a private tourism company, is located in the general control zone. It sits next to an old patrol station, tucked away in verdant, largely undisturbed forests.

To balance conservation with commercial operations, the camp enforces strict visitor registration. Daily capacity is capped at 200 people — well below the 300-person limit set by official evaluations, said Liu Wenxue, the school principal.

Liu added that the camp has made full use of existing infrastructure, such as old patrol routes and large prefabricated wooden homes, allowing for fast construction and environmental sustainability.

According to Liu, educational programs include hiking and field discovery, do-it-yourself activities such as making plant specimens and designing bird-collision-deterrent patterns, as well as long-term research projects.

"Visitors include children and teenagers, families, wildlife enthusiasts and researchers from international organizations," he said. "For younger people, they get to have immersive experiences and may develop a lasting passion for the natural world from here."

The camp has also provided jobs for more than 15 local residents, who work as tour guides, drivers and safety patrollers, he added.

This successful model has since been extended to two other camp sites within nature reserves across Sichuan province, he said.

Official data shows that in 2025 alone, ecotourism and nature education initiatives across the entire Giant Panda National Park drew 6.13 million visitors, generating 6 billion yuan in revenue.

The province of Sichuan has set up 81 joint management committees to involve local villagers, created more than 3,100 ecological public welfare positions, and issued nearly 75 million yuan in compensation funds for about 20,000 affected local people annually.