Report on the Sustainable Revitalization of Zhonghua Village, Chongqing

Executive Summary

This report details the transformation of a former stone quarry in Zhonghua Village, Beibei District, Chongqing, into a successful ecotourism destination. The project serves as a model for rural revitalization by integrating ecological restoration with community-driven economic development. The initiative demonstrates a strong alignment with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those concerning economic growth, sustainable communities, responsible production, and terrestrial ecosystem restoration.

From Industrial Degradation to a Sustainable Vision

Zhonghua Village’s landscape was previously characterized by severe environmental degradation resulting from over a decade of stone mining operations that ceased in 2016. The quarrying activities led to the creation of deep pits and barren land, compromising the local ecosystem. In 2017, a local entrepreneur initiated a project to reclaim the land, shifting the local economic model from resource extraction to sustainable tourism. This vision directly addresses the need to reverse land degradation and build resilient communities, in line with SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Project Initiatives and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

The revitalization project was implemented through a multi-faceted approach focusing on ecological recovery and the development of a sustainable tourism infrastructure.

Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity

• Reforestation: Over 20 hectares of scarred land were replanted with fruit trees, including peaches and plums. This initiative contributes to restoring biodiversity, reducing soil erosion, and creating carbon sinks, directly supporting SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
• Land Rehabilitation: The project is part of a wider municipal effort in Chongqing to rehabilitate over 7,000 hectares of abandoned mining areas, demonstrating a commitment to large-scale environmental restoration.

Development of Ecotourism and Community Empowerment

• Sustainable Infrastructure: The Jibai Villa guesthouse was constructed in 2020 using eco-friendly materials. Its success as a nationally rated A-level tourist homestay exemplifies the principles of SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by promoting sustainable tourism.
• Economic Diversification: The village developed a range of tourism activities, including fruit picking, educational mining tours, and wellness programs. Former industrial buildings were repurposed into a restaurant and café, showcasing adaptive reuse.
• Capacity Building: An innkeeper training school was established to equip local residents with hospitality skills, fostering local entrepreneurship and ensuring that the community benefits directly from tourism growth.

Socio-Economic and Environmental Outcomes

The project has yielded significant positive outcomes, contributing to local prosperity and environmental health.

1. Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8): The initiative has generated annual revenue exceeding five million yuan (approx. $698,330) from over 100,000 annual visitors. It provides stable employment for nearly 30 local villagers, with an average annual income of approximately 50,000 yuan. The village’s collective economic cooperative earned an additional 150,000 yuan in 2022.
2. Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10): By creating local employment and income-generating opportunities, the project helps reduce economic disparities between urban and rural areas and empowers the local community.
3. Restoration of Terrestrial Ecosystems (SDG 15): The transformation of a barren quarry into a lush, productive landscape is a clear success in halting and reversing land degradation.

The Role of Public-Private Partnerships (SDG 17)

The success of the Zhonghua Village revitalization was facilitated by a strong partnership between the private sector and local government. The Chongqing municipal government provided critical support by investing in essential infrastructure, including paved roads, street lighting, and a market area. This collaboration demonstrates the effectiveness of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), where public investment creates an enabling environment for private-sector innovation in sustainable development.

Future Outlook

Future plans aim to expand the ecotourism model by establishing a comprehensive homestay hub to attract further investment and tourism. The objective is to create a self-sustaining cycle of economic growth and environmental stewardship. The Zhonghua Village project stands as a scalable blueprint for transforming post-industrial landscapes into assets for sustainable development, proving that economic prosperity and ecological restoration can be mutually reinforcing goals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – The article focuses on creating jobs and generating revenue through sustainable tourism.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – The project involves revitalizing a rural community, repurposing old infrastructure, and safeguarding natural heritage.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – The transformation from resource extraction (mining) to a sustainable economic model (ecotourism) is a central theme.
• SDG 15: Life on Land – A core part of the initiative is the ecological restoration of a degraded landscape caused by quarrying.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – The success of the project is attributed to the collaboration between the private sector, the government, and the local community.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  • Target 8.9: “By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products.” The entire project in Zhonghua Village is a model of sustainable ecotourism. It has created jobs for locals, generated significant revenue, and promoted the local area’s history and natural beauty through offerings like the mining study club and fruit picking.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  • Target 11.4: “Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.” The project directly addresses this by restoring the natural landscape of the former quarry (“ecological rebirth”) and repurposing industrial heritage sites like the “former quarry management offices and workshops” into a restaurant and café, thus preserving the area’s history while giving it a new purpose.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  • Target 12.b: “Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism…” The article itself serves as a report on the positive impacts of this sustainable tourism model, detailing economic benefits (revenue, jobs) and environmental restoration, showcasing a successful shift from an unsustainable production pattern (quarrying) to a sustainable one (ecotourism).

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  • Target 15.3: “By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil… and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.” The project’s primary action was to restore the “barren land” and “deep pits” left by the quarry. The article states that the “green restoration project” involved replanting over 20 hectares to “rehabilitate the land,” directly contributing to the restoration of degraded land.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  • Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…” The article explicitly highlights this collaboration. It describes the local entrepreneur, Zhou Song (private sector), leading the project, the Chongqing municipal government (public sector) providing “paved roads, street lighting,” and the local community (civil society) benefiting through employment and the village’s collective economic cooperative.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For SDG 8 (Target 8.9):

  • Direct employment in the tourism industry: The article states the project created “stable employment for nearly 30 local villagers.”
  • Income generation: It is mentioned that “each local worker earns an annual income of about 50,000 yuan.”
  • Tourism revenue: The project “generated revenue exceeding five million yuan (approximately $698,330).”
  • Number of visitors: The site attracts “up to 1,000 visitors daily” during peak seasons, with “annual tourist numbers surpassing 100,000.”

• For SDG 15 (Target 15.3):

  • Proportion of land degraded that is being restored: The article specifies that “Over 20 hectares were transformed” from a barren quarry to orchards and green spaces. It also notes a broader regional effort where “over 7,000 hectares of land have been rehabilitated.”

• For SDG 11 (Target 11.4):

  • Repurposing of heritage sites: The article provides a concrete example of a “stylish restaurant and café, converted from former quarry management offices and workshops,” which serves as an indicator of safeguarding industrial heritage through adaptive reuse.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: travelandtourworld.com