As dawn breaks in the east, a light mist drapes over Gangcheng’s rolling hills. Dewdrops slide off newly sprouted branches, reflecting shades of fresh green. The rhythmic clang of shovels meeting soil echoes like spring’s morning bell in Gangcheng. Squatting down, Sang Yunli, who has spent years planting trees on barren mountains, gently touches a newly planted Chinese arborvitae seedling. “These saplings,” he says, “are our ‘green savings account’ for future generations.”

Spring in Gangcheng is a season of surging greenery; its forests grow from steadfast effort. Over the past five years, once-scarred barren mountains have transformed - 24,200 mu (about 1,613 hectares) of land now flourish with 4.04 million Chinese arborvitae and black pines, while 1.46 million smoketrees and black locusts weave a poem of changing seasons. Today, with a forest coverage rate of 32.37%, Gangcheng has shattered the stereotype of a “concrete jungle,” letting nature reclaim its space in the spring soil.

This year, Gangcheng District aims to set a model for greening the arid northern mountainous region and strengthen the ecological shield for high-quality development along the lower Yellow River. Plans include afforesting 546.15 mu (about 36 hectares) of barren hills, improving forest coverage; restoring 1,120.35 mu (about 75 hectares) of degraded forests to enhance productivity; and tending to 3,876.3 mu (about 258 hectares) of young and mid-aged forests to optimize structure and quality. Additionally, seven new water reservoirs and 2.1 kilometers of service roads will be built in key forest areas to improve resilience against environmental risks.

Gangcheng’s greenery is steadily expanding into urban spaces. At Luanjialing Park, once a patch of rugged and overgrown hills, a vibrant garden now stands. Resident Cui Jing walks through the park with her child, marveling at the smooth, winding paths. “I used to sneeze three times just walking around this dusty trail,” she recalls. “Now, I can push a stroller and enjoy the greenery.” Gangcheng’s approach to greening is never just about appearances - it tailors each park to its natural landscape, creating diverse mountain parks that expand the city’s green spaces and enhance the urban environment.

Today, all the hills in the urban area have been transformed into parks, upgraded to retain their original charm while incorporating elements of fitness, education, and leisure. These natural havens have become both “oxygen bars” and “backyard gardens” where residents can relax, exercise, and connect with nature.

As dusk settles, the evening breeze rustles through the new forests, brushing against leaves and winding through the city’s mountain trails, carrying whispers of pine. Gangcheng’s greenery emerges from rugged crevices, takes form in official reports, and finally manifests as the smile lines of an elderly resident and the shade beneath which children play. When 247,600 mu (about 16,507 hectares) of forest land stretches into a vast ecological scroll, every leaf tells a story - mountains need no ink to write their eternal verse, and flowing water composes its own timeless melody.