Shanghai districts reap 2 national ecology award

Shanghai has won two prestigious national titles for the first time during the opening session of the Ecological Civilization Forum at the COP15 conference in Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province.

Qingpu District was recognized as a national ecological civilization demonstration zone. Caojing Town in Jinshan District was designated as the nation's practice and innovation center in line with President Xi Jinping's theory of "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets."

"This award shows that the nation fully affirms our district's ecological development," said Zhang Yan, deputy head of Qingpu District. "Also, it sets new goals and requirements for ecological civilization."

Qingpu will build water areas like Dianshan and Yuandang lakes and their surroundings into precincts with the highest ecological sensitivity and best ecosystems in the demonstration zone, Zhang said. They will also set up a wetland list as well as a classified and hierarchical protection system.

Caojing Town People's Congress President Zhang Jun said its featured agricultural products like Duolisheng watermelon, freshwater prawn and snakehead fish are all examples of how "lucid waters and lush mountains" turn into "invaluable assets."

Green agriculture has become the town's pillar industry, facilitating rapid growth in the deep processing and logistics of agricultural products, B&Bs and countryside tourism.