At dawn, 58-year-old Wang Huasheng tightens his bootlaces for what he calls "a walk with old friends" – his final patrols through the mist-shrouded trails of Mao'er Mountain. For 35 years, this forest ranger has safeguarded South China's highest peak, where crystal streams birth the iconic Li River.
Wang's six-hour treks with colleagues involve more than scenic views: infrared camera maintenance, wildfire prevention, and intercepting poachers threatenng endangered species like the silver pheasant. "Every muddy slope memorized," he tells CGTN, "but you never hike alone here. The mountain rewards carelessness with danger."
Mao'er Mountain's 170 square kilometers shelter over 2,200 plant species and 345 vertebrates, according to reserve director Tang Zhongxiang. As a UNESCO-recognized biodiversity hotspot, its evergreen broadleaf forests filter water for millions downstream in Guilin.
Wang's retirement in three months closes a chapter in conservation history. "These trees – some I planted as saplings – they're family," he says, patting a towering camphor. Though passing the torch to younger rangers, he vows to return annually, ensuring his life's work remains rooted in Guangxi's ecological crown jewel.
