With a forest coverage rate of 82.12 percent and rich bird resources, Mingxi county in Sanming city, southeast China's Fujian province provides ideal habitats for migratory birds. (People's Daily Online/Lan Zhifei)

Located in Sanming city, southeast China's Fujian province, Mingxi county is a place where forests thrive, with the forest coverage rate reaching 82.12 percent. The county hosts one national nature reserve, one provincial-level nature reserve, two provincial-level forest parks, and 36 county-level conservation zones.

So far, 345 species of wild birds have been recorded here, including 76 species under first-class and second-class state protection in China, such as the Cabot's tragopan, Elliot's pheasant, and the mandarin duck.

Every year, birdwatching enthusiasts and photographers from China and abroad flock to forests in Mingxi to admire and capture the beautiful natural scenery.

Mingxi has been actively working to diversify its forests. Over the past five years, it has planted 60,100 mu (about 4,006 hectares) of new trees, tended 200,000 mu of forests, and protected 59,000 mu of land by sealing off mountainous areas to facilitate afforestation.

Mingxi launched a comprehensive forest fire prevention program, installing seven aerial surveillance systems and 41 smart voice alert poles. As a result, the forest fire damage rate has stayed below 0.8 per mille, with no major forest fires reported.

By leveraging technologies such as remote sensing, drones, and mobile patrol devices, Mingxi has established an integrated "space-air-ground" forest monitoring system. The county deploys 25 drones to monitor 1.2 million mu of forest annually, has installed 380 infrared cameras to track wildlife activity, and employs 143 rangers who patrol over 300,000 kilometers each year.

A Blyth's kingfisher, a species under second-class state protection in China, catches fish at a mountain creek in Mingxi county, Sanming city, southeast China's Fujian province. (Photo/Jiang Yuelan)