The Power of Silence

Climbing along the mountain ridge and out of the lower-altitude blended forest, I felt my shoes and clothes become saturated by dew. The piercing coolness and slight oxygen deficit merged and gave me a sense of disconnection between illusion and reality. All around tall, straight pine trees spread their branches like a crown resting on […]

From Captivity to Introduction to the Wild

It is said that weather in Qingcheng quick temper. I have no other comment to make but; is nature not cultivated enough. The truck brings me into the reintroduction fore I can get an idea of this new home of mine, a shower pours down to greet me- I am overwhelmed by such hospitality that […]

Shaanxi Huangbaiyuan Nature Reserve

On the southern slope and in the middle of the Qinling Mountains, in Taibai county, lies the Huangbaiyuan Nature Reserve. Its lush forests and mountain hills are the core distribution areas for wildlife in Shaanxi province, and one of the highest density giant panda distributions within the Qinling Mountains. In 2006,the Shaanxi Huangbaiyuan Provincial Nature […]

Crossing Jiuding Mountains

From May 11 to 20 2013, our thirteen-man team of five surveyors and eight guides climbed over the Jiuding Mountains that traverse Mao county and Mianzhu county. On our ten-day journey, one of the passes wo went through was 4342m in elevation. It was truly a perilous and treacherous expedition. Marshy Grassland and Snow-covered Mountains […]

The Zhouzhi National Nature Reserve in Shanxi Province

Zhouzhi, a county with picturesque scenery, is located at the center of the Guanzhong plain in Shanxi Province. With approval from the state council, the Zhouzhi National Reserve for Forest and Wild Animals was established in southwest of the county in 1988. It ranks among the top 40 globally significant reserves in China as determined […]

The Eternal Beauty: Dashanbao

Overlooking Danshanbao National Nature Reserve in Yunnan Province is like seeing a painter splashing vibrant hues of golden yellow and glaring red. These two stunning colors occupy the vast area of villages and fields. Only a vigorous green competes with these colors, making a tapestry for the senses. The air amongst the mountains and plains […]

Adventures in Yinchang Valley

According to local records, Yinchang Valley in Wolong was once rich with deposits of gold during the Qing Dynasty. The entrance of the valley bristles with sheer precipitous cliffs, and under these cliffs the turbulent river crashes its way through. The splashing sound thunders throughout the whole valley, offering a warning to newcomers: the steep […]

First Experience at Chinese Spring Festival

As a foreigner living in China, one of the things I miss most about home are the holidays. A delightful surprise awaited me on my trip to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding this February during Chun Jie, or Spring Festival, that is celebrated in conjunction with the Lunar New Year. I walked […]

Organic Farming & Building Community

With each passing year, I become more interested in living “green” especially in terms of the food I consume. When I was a child my family grew vegetables in our yard. As a Master of Social Work candidate in the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver in Colorado in the US; […]