Chinese village transforms environmental protection into economic growth
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Residents of Leitun, a village in China’s Guizhou province, revitalized their community by prioritizing environmental preservation alongside agricultural and tourism development.
The Jinping county selected Leitun as one of 15 pilot villages for a rural revitalization program. Officials invested 3.5 million yuan (about $2.8 million) to build nearly four kilometers of irrigation canals, replace three water pumps, and pave 1.6 kilometers of roads. These improvements increased rice production by 20% compared to before the projects began.
Between 2021 and 2025, per capita income for villagers rose from 8,000 yuan (around $6,320) to 27,300 yuan (approximately $21,600). The village, which is 648 years old, also saw a boost in tourism revenue as a result of the infrastructure work. Locals protected a nearly seven-hectare sandbank along the Liangjiang River, previously damaged by sand extraction. In 2002, villagers banned sand mining and formed a monitoring group, allowing the area to ecologically recover and become a major tourist attraction.
Leitun now welcomes almost 200,000 visitors annually, offering camping, water sports, and cultural experiences. The village receives financial support through a program that transfers resources from more developed coastal municipalities to inland regions, receiving 55 million yuan (about $42 million) annually from Foshan since 2021.
