Chongqing - A press briefing held on November 14 in Chongqing highlighted major progress in the protection and sustainable development of Thuja sutchuenensis, an ancient conifer native to southwest China and one of the country’s most endangered tree species. Once declared extinct in the wild, the Thuja sutchuenensis—often nicknamed China’s “plant giant panda”—is now undergoing a remarkable recovery driven by scientific innovation, coordinated governance, and community participation.
On October 16, 2023, a staff member at Chongqing’s Xuebaoshan National Nature Reserve collected wild Thuja sutchuenensis cones from a steep cliff face. (Photo/Kaizhou District)
Reviving a Species Once Thought Lost
Thuja sutchuenensis is a relic species that has survived for more than 100 million years. When a remnant wild population was rediscovered in Chongqing’s Daba Mountains in 1999, fewer than 10,000 individuals remained. Over the past two decades, Chongqing has prioritized the preservation of its regional biodiversity.
“We have witnessed a shift from imminent extinction to renewed vitality,” said Cao Chunhua, Director of the Chongqing Forestry Bureau. The city established a comprehensive protection network linking government agencies, nature reserves, research institutions, and local communities. Xuebaoshan National Nature Reserve, home to the most critical wild stands, was placed under unified municipal management in 2019, enabling more efficient habitat protection.
Xuebaoshan National Nature Reserve in Chongqing. (Photo/Huang Wei, Xinhua)
Modern technologies—including UAV surveys, GIS mapping, and RTK positioning—now support a digital monitoring system covering more than 7,000 wild trees. Chongqing, in partnership with the Chinese Academy of Forestry, has also built China’s first national resource database for the species and helped Kaizhou District establish the country’s official Thuja sutchuenensis germplasm repository.
Scientific breakthroughs have further accelerated recovery. Researchers successfully increased cutting-propagation survival rates from below 20% to above 90%, resulting in seedling production of more than two million annually. Wild reintroduction areas have expanded from an initial 60 mu (approximately four hectares) to over 4,500 mu, while 52 ex situ conservation bases across 17 cities maintain an average survival rate of over 85%. This multi-region protection system greatly reduces extinction risks and supports ecological restoration efforts in fragile regions.
The project recently received the Global Model of Ecological Restoration and Protection Award at the 20th Global Forum on Human Settlements in Geneva, marking significant international recognition.
From Protection to Sustainable and Inclusive Development
Chongqing is also exploring sustainable ways to integrate conservation with local development. Kaizhou District—home to the species’ last natural refuge—has piloted benefit-sharing models such as “villagers provide land + government provides seedlings + enterprises operate.” These mechanisms have enabled more than 500 local residents to participate in seedling cultivation, forest management, and eco-tourism, generating over 2 million yuan (approximately $ 281,712) in additional income.
“Protection is the foundation, but development can reinforce protection when managed responsibly,” said Yang Hong, Deputy Party Secretary and District Mayor of Kaizhou. Kaizhou enforces a complete ban on any commercial extraction from wild Thuja sutchuenensis populations, with all product development—such as essential oils and hair-care products—derived exclusively from domesticated and artificially cultivated stock. Early products have been well received, and interest in health-related applications is growing.
Thuja sutchuenensis growing in Chongqing’s Xuebaoshan National Nature Reserve. (Photo/Kaizhou District)
The district aims to build a “one center, two bases” development framework by 2030, including a research center, seedling production bases, and an integrated eco-tourism demonstration zone. Planting areas are planned to exceed 200,000 mu, with more than five million seedlings propagated. The goal is to make Thuja sutchuenensis a flagship species for ecological restoration along the upper Yangtze River and a model for global conservation of endangered plants.
Chongqing and Kaizhou have also signed a strategic cooperation agreement covering ecological protection, scientific innovation, brand cultivation, benefit sharing, and industry development. The agreement enables coordinated technical support, standard-setting, product research and development, and market development. A “closed-loop” mechanism—linking research, protection, industry, and reinvestment—will ensure sustainable financial support over the next five years.
Expanding Ecological Value Through National Collaboration
To further safeguard the species and explore its ecological potential, Chongqing has launched adaptive planting trials in semi-arid regions, including Inner Mongolia, Gansu, and Qinghai. According to Wang Shuxiang, Deputy Director of the Chongqing Forestry Bureau, the trials serve three key purposes.
On April 2, 2024, forestry workers plant Thuja sutchuenensis seedlings along the cliffs of Magailiang in Ningxian County, Qingyang, Gansu Province, within a designated cultivation zone. (Photo/Kaizhou District)
First, they diversify conservation sites to reduce risks from extreme weather, pests, or natural disasters. Second, because Thuja sutchuenensis is drought-tolerant with a strong root system, it may become a valuable species for ecological restoration in water-scarce areas that serve as key ecological barriers. Third, cross-regional experiments—conducted with national research institutes—will generate transferable cultivation methods and long-term scientific data.
“This is both an exploration of new habitats for a rare species and a practical attempt to strengthen ecological resilience in some of China’s most fragile landscapes,” Wang said.