Former mining land in central China restored to protect biodiversity

STORY: Former mining land in central China restored to protect biodiversity DATELINE: Dec. 24, 2022 LENGTH: 0:01:15 LOCATION: ZHENGZHOU, China CATEGORY: ECOLOGY SHOTLIST: 1. various of Xiaoqinling National Nature Reserve 2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): ZHAO TIE'AN, Xiaoqinling National Nature Reserve STORYLINE: The biodiversity conservation progress at Xiaoqinling National Nature Reserve in central China has recently been listed as an outstanding case for biodiversity by China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment. Xiaoqinling National Nature Reserve is located at the easternmost end of the Qinling Mountains in central China's Henan Province. It has a total area of 15,160 hectares and a forest coverage rate of 81.2 percent. The nature reserve was once the second largest gold producing area in China. More than 40 years of gold mining had caused serious damage to the environment. Thanks to great efforts made by local governments in restoring ecology since 2016, the area has once again become home of national prot