The last tree in the Greater Hinggan Mountains was cut down seven years ago, before logging was suspended. [Photo/als.nmgnews.com.cn]

North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region has regenerated 29.02 million mu (1.93 million hectares) and afforested 180,600 mu of forest in the Inner Mongolia section of the Greater Hinggan Mountains in the seven years since logging there was suspended on April 1, 2015.

Meanwhile, over the same period, 168,300 mu of vegetation was restored in the Greater Hinggan Mountains, 255,100 mu of farmland was reforested, and the annual growth of forest resources there has exceeded 12 million cubic meters.

This is according to information from the Inner Mongolia Forest Industry Group.

An aerial view of regenerated forests in the Greater Hinggan Mountains [Photo/als.nmgnews.com.cn]

After outlawing logging, the Inner Mongolia section of the Greater Hinggan Mountains began developing the tourism and forest industries. The forestry carbon sink industry has also seen rapid development.

In 2021 alone, transactions of carbon sinks were valued at 9.71 million yuan ($1.46 million), and the pace of converting the ecological benefits of forest areas into economic benefits accelerated significantly.

Forests in the Greater Hinggan Mountains turn various colors in autumn. [Photo/als.nmgnews.com.cn]