Beyond the call of duty: Gansu's forest rangers on patrol

Hao Yongquan, 58, has been a forest ranger for 37 years since retiring from the military in 1987. On Tuesday, Arbor Day in China, he and other rangers shared their conservation stories with the media.

Nicknamed the "forests eyes" and "green guardians", the forest rangers at Guanyin Forest Farm in Tianshui city, Gansu province, have no regrets or grievances after protecting the forest for decades.

"Daily work usually starts with patrolling, putting on uniforms after breakfast, carrying ropes, saws, insect repellents, equipment, dry food and water bottles and setting off with colleagues to the designated area until it gets dark," Hao said.

The rangers have been living in the mountains and forests for years, accompanied by trees, accustomed to hardships and loneliness.

They typically go out early and return at dusk year-round to guard the forest, protecting green mountains and clear waters.

A forest ranger often has to walk more than a dozen kilometers a day, and a pair of rubber shoes wears out in two to three months, according to Hao.

The Liuping Forest Management Office, where Hao works, oversees 10,511.6 hectares, accounting for 41 percent of Guanyin Forest Farm's operating area.

The area's residents are scattered, making management difficult and transportation extremely inconvenient.