College students learn to make the Hakka snack ciba, a glutinous rice delicacy, in Mingxi county, Fujian province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The positive changes have also helped preserve the environment and biodiversity in Mingxi, which has drawn attention from outside the area. As a result, Beijing Forestry University, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, and the country's biggest wild bird photography website birdnet.cn, have all set up teaching and internship faculties in Mingxi. Lectures, exhibitions and photography competitions have been held, including the 2020 Cabot's Tragopan Cup international bird photography competition, which further put the county on the map of bird lovers.

Approximately 30,000 travelers visit Mingxi every year. More than 1,000 people have joined businesses that are related to bird-watching, such as summer camps and traditional Chinese medicine service.

During 2020-21, the turnover of the county's forest preservation facilities reached 137.84 million yuan, contributing 12.25 million yuan in taxes.

Chen Lin, a senior member of the China Wildlife Conservation Association, has witnessed the changes in Ziyun. The village abounds in birds and locals have developed an awareness of protecting them, Chen says. Ecological protection and birdwatching have developed in Fujian after years of exploration, and the future prospects look good, he adds.

In the future, bird-watching will be further integrated with local culture tourism resources, according to the Mingxi forestry bureau. A long-term cooperation mechanism with academic institutes and the association will be established, and management will be standardized to host bird-themed cultural forums and photography competitions. The idea is to extend the birdwatching industry and boost Mingxi's development through ecology, according to the county forestry bureau.