The great thaw

Cili Kazhu, a 57-year-old resident, recalls "collecting ice" from glaciers in her youth.[Photo by Shi Wenzhi/China Daily]

County seeking to balance ecology and economy

Mingyong glacier is located on a subsidiary peak of the Meili Snow Mountain in Deqen county in the Diqing Tibet autonomous prefecture.

In the northwest of Yunnan province, it is an area of rich biodiversity as well as religious significance, drawing large numbers of tourists and pilgrims each year.

But with global warming posing a challenge, local government officials are faced with the task of protecting the fragile ecology while at the same time encouraging tourism.

The four main villages in the foothills of the mountain - Feilaisi, Mingyong, Xidang and Yubeng - view tourism as a key driver of the local economy.

Of the combined population of about 930, some people have set up small hotels and restaurants to cater to tourists. Others provide horse caravans for camping trips, while still others grow grapes and barley for liquor.

The county earned around 1 billion yuan ($147 million) from tourism in 2016, according to Zhaxi Wudui, a county official associated with the industry.

The vast majority of tourists are Chinese, and the sector employs 6,000 people, he says in Deqen town.

"Nature is the area's biggest asset, so preserving it will mean more income from tourism," Ma Caihua, the director of publicity for the county government, says.