Money grown on trees

Liu Yongzhi, a local farmer, is among those who have embraced the change. "In the past, guarding the forest only meant protecting it. Now, we can also make money from it," he said.

Compared with traditional farming, under-forest cultivation needs less land but delivers higher returns, Liu said, adding that each hectare of black fungus can yield a profit of around 75,000 yuan — several times higher than the income from simply guarding the forest.

Liu's annual income has risen from less than 100,000 yuan to over 150,000 yuan in just six months. Meanwhile, the forest itself has also seen positive changes.

"This area used to be overgrown with wild trees and weeds. Now it's neatly managed, and everything grows well," he said.

Forest ranger Zhang said that such cultivation benefits the forest itself. "Planting medicinal herbs and fungi makes better use of forest land and helps trees grow stronger," he said. "It's good for both the ecosystem and the economy."

The region's natural beauty has likewise fueled the growth of tourism around the forest farm. The Ma'anshan National Forest Park welcomes more than 200,000 visitors each year and supports 18 local farm-stay businesses. Revenue generated by tourism and forest products is reinvested into forest maintenance, pest control and infrastructure upgrades.

Last year, the forestry sector's total output value in Harqin Banner reached 2.28 billion yuan.

"This year, we're aiming for 2.5 billion yuan," said Li, deputy director of the local forestry and grassland bureau.