Now, 20,526 hectares of the state-owned Keyihe forest in the north of China is protected from logging thanks to the revenue from the project. The lush forest of native Birch Betula platyphylla and Larch Larix gmelinii is allowed to regenerate naturally with local farmers employed to tend the trees, providing them with a stable income. Walking through the forest in the autumn local people can enjoy the peaceful stillness and stunning orange foliage. 

This project falls under China's national efforts to protect forests, which are recognised as a valuable natural resource. Thanks to the project, more carbon is sequestered by increasing the amount of biomass in the area. This brings a multitude of benefits, not least by storing the harmful GHG emissions that are driving global warming. Forests also help regulate the local climate, protect the soil from erosion and degradation and provide a home to many animals by increasing forest cover and connecting isolated habitats.