COP15: Taiwania forest witnesses man-made miracle in Mt. Gaoligong

The artificial forest of 768 taiwania trees makes a miracle in Mt. Taitai of Mt. Gaoligong Nature Reserve, southwest Yunnan’s Baoshan City.

Known as the "living fossil", flousiana, a 110 million-year-old rare species, can grow up to 70 meters in height. The wild taiwania was listed in the national first-class protected plant in 1983. Now, it is the largest artificial taiwania forest in the world.

At an elevation of 2,200 meters, the artificial forest comprises 768 fully grown flousiana trees from at least 25 years to 80 years old.

A Taoist called Gao Shan and his master, Gao Yun, started to plant taiwania trees in 1930s. Through many generations, the survival rate of the saplings planted is 67 percent.

"The forest provides the valuable samples for studying the origin and evolution of living things and the geography of ancient times”, said a local botanist.

Reporting and photos by Yang Yanpeng (Yunnan Daily app); Photos by Gong Detao; Trans-editing by Mo Yingyi