Global Times: The rebirth of Thuja sutchuenensis, ancient tree species being preserved, as ecological protection gains speed

BEIJING, Dec. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Towering like a pagoda, with scale-like leaves and roots gripping rocks, this tree stands upright on steep cliffs.

Thuja sutchuenensis is an endangered gymnosperm plant unique to China. Originating from the age of dinosaurs over 100 million years ago, it flourished during the Cretaceous period. Harboring irreplaceable genetic resources, it is known as the "plant giant panda."

Thuja sutchuenensis was first discovered in 1892. Today, the peaks in Chongqing's Kaizhou district, Chengkou county, Wuxi county and Sichuan Province's Xuanhan county are the remaining habitats for this relic plant.

This area is located on the southern foothills of the Daba Mountains, in the heart of the Three Gorges Reservoir area, a crucial water conservation zone in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.

In 1998, due to a lack of scientific records, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) declared Thuja sutchuenensis extinct. Later, local Chongqing researchers traversed mountains and rivers, rediscovering wild Thuja sutchuenensis trees on remote cliffs.

In a meeting on the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt held in early 2016, President Xi Jinping stressed "green development" of the region and said to restore ecological environment would be an overwhelming task.

From extinction to rediscovery

At an altitude of 1,600 meters lies Xinyuan Village, Dajin Township. On the mountain, there is a nearly 30-meter-tall Thuja suthuenensis tree that is 127 years old.

Yang Quan, former director of the Chongqing Xuebaoshan National Nature Reserve Management Affairs Center, explained that wild Thuja sutchuenensis only exists in a narrow area on the southern foothills of the Daba Mountains.

The deep gorges and high ridges of the mountains served as an "ark" during the Quaternary glaciation, preserving this ancient species.

As an ancient species, the Thuja sutchuenensis possesses a far greater ability to adapt to climate change and geographic transformation than ordinary plants, containing irreplaceable stress-resistant genes and holding significant scientific, ecological, and cultural value.

"In the past, who knew what the Thuja sutchuenensis was?" In Xiaoyuan Village, wood from the tree was used for construction and household items. During the peak of uncontrolled development, the annual timber harvest in the Kaizhou district exceeded 80,000 cubic meters.

"The mountains were so bald it looked like 'favus,'" recalled Liu Xingxiang, an old forest farm worker. "Trucks lined up, loaded with logs, their tracks so deep, like a freshly plowed field."

The extinction of Thuja sutchuenensis could trigger a "domino effect," disrupting the entire ecosystem. Receiving national attention, the Xuebaoshan Nature Reserve was promptly established. It was later upgraded to a national reserve in 2012.

A shift in mindset

"The ecosystem is a unified natural system, an organic chain of interdependent and closely linked elements."

In 2015, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued reform plans clarifying a comprehensive halt to commercial logging of natural forests nationwide by 2017. Key state-owned forest areas transitioned from development and utilization to comprehensive protection.

Chongqing has shouldered its responsibility. The Kaizhou district implemented "Three Bans": banning logging of natural forests, banning commercial logging, and banning construction in protected areas. It processed dozens of illegal cases, holding people accountable. The rampant deforestation was reversed and the forest coverage rate in the Kaizhou district has increased by 4.7 percentage points since 2018.

Starting in 2020, the Kaizhou district implemented zoned management by delineating ecological protection red lines, accounting for 28.28 percent of the district's land area.

Huang Jilan, head of the General Department of the Xuebaoshan Reserve, is a "third-generation forestry worker." The elderly members in her family logged trees, now she protects them. "We need to 'bring back' the Thuja sutchuenensis trees we lost, one by one."

Chen Zongbing, who once relied on logging for a living, became a ranger and eco-preservation promoter. "You know, the Thuja sutchuenensis is a treasure! Damaging it will land you in jail!"

Thuja sutchuenensis trees grow on perilous peaks. Reserve staff once conduct dangerous surveys as "cliff climbers." Now, field surveys are assisted by drones and video surveillance. "We are also procuring LiDAR equipment to record detailed 3D data for each wild Thuja sutchuenensis tree," Huang Jilan said.

To date, the reserve has discovered over 7,800 wild Thuja sutchuenensis trees, establishing China's first regional resource database that maintains a standard of "one file per tree." Neighboring Chengkou county also recently discovered an area of over 5,000 trees.

From local breeding to relocation protection, Thuja sutchuenensis is taking root across China. A total of 1,000 seedlings have traveled to Qamdo, the Xizang Autonomous Region, and survived their difficult first year.

In Changdao, Shandong Province, where even hardy pines struggled, Thuja sutchuenensis seedlings have a survival rate of over 80 percent.

Relocation preserves genetic diversity and taps into the tree's great potential for ecological management due to its tenacious vitality and ability to fix soil in place.

Thuja sutchuenensis has begun to spread across China. From the high altitudes of Xizang to the coast of Shandong, from the Loess Plateau to Tianmu Mountain, it has been transplanted to 41 sites in 17 provinces.

With an average survival rate of over 70 percent, and excellent survivability in cold and dry conditions, it has become a preferred species for ecological restoration in fragile areas.

In May, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment promoted Thuja sutchuenensis conservation as a national achievement in biodiversity protection.

Institutional innovation and ecological dividends

Reforms and innovation are being promoted. Chongqing has achieved full coverage of a basin-wide horizontal ecological compensation mechanism for the mainstream of the Yangtze River and its major tributaries. It has integrated data from multiple departments into the "Bayu Water Governance" application, slashing the time it takes to discover problems.

These ecological dividends have benefited the people. In the Kaizhou district, villager Hu Youzhen returned home to work on Thuja sutchuenensis breeding, earning a stable income. Breeding bases have driven over 500 residents to find employment nearby, increasing average annual income by 30 percent.

The "green name card" attracts science camps, vegetable bases, and water factories. Ganquan Village was rated a "Beautiful and Leisure Village of China." Authorities are now working on processing ecological products and seedling industry projects.

The total output value of Chongqing's forestry industry reached 178.05 billion yuan ($25 billion) in 2024.

A new generation takes root

Wang Lei, a graduate from Shanghai Jiao Tong University, gave up a white-collar job to join the Xuebaoshan Reserve. "Guarding this 'living plant fossil' is a weighty mission."

Recognizing the cause, "post-1990" talents Wu Hao and Cai Songyu married local women of Kaizhou, putting down roots in the mountains.

If people do not fail the green mountains, the green mountains will surely not fail the people.

SOURCE Global Times