Fireflies brighten rural tourism
With starry skies above and fireflies below, many regions in China are now in the best viewing season for fireflies.
During March and April each year, Qingshen county in Meishan city, southwest Sichuan province, hits its peak for firefly viewing. Tens of thousands of fireflies shimmer like a constellation, presenting a spectacular scene that draws nationwide tourists.
Fireflies are reliable indicators of environmental health, as they live in areas with fresh air, pure water, and lush vegetation. Qingshen has a forest coverage rate of 48.8%, making it an ideal firefly habitat, particularly with its vast bamboo groves spanning over a million mu (around 67,000 hectares).
To date, Qingshen has 52 firefly habitats. With hundreds of millions of wild fireflies, the county has emerged as the largest firefly-viewing location in Southwest China.
The sound eco-environment of Qingshen county has nurtured the most fireflies in southwest China. While attracting tens of thousands of visitors, fireflies have also boosted the local rural night economy.
Tianchi village in Qingshen's Ruifeng town is one of the main firefly-viewing spots. Every weekend, the village hosts folk cultural performances and bonfire parties. Visitors can immerse themselves in local folk culture and buy local specialties at the night market.
The influx of tourists has not just created new markets for local agricultural goods but has also prompted villagers to run homestays and develop rural tourism. Zhang Shilan, a cultural tourism promoter for Ruifeng town, Qingshen county, reported that the Ruifeng town now has over 40 restaurants and homestays. Since the beginning of this year's firefly-viewing season in March, Qingshen county has welcomed over 100,000 visitors, earning tourism revenue of nearly 40 million yuan.
Qingshen pioneered a novel approach to the conservation and sustainable use of firefly resources by combining rice cultivation and firefly farming. It involves introducing firefly larvae into rice paddies, which are then managed without chemicals to maximize the survival of fireflies while promoting ecological rice cultivation.
In January 2023, the "Bamboo and Firefly Art Gallery" in Qingshen county officially opened, engaging a national team of firefly experts to conduct cultivation, breeding, and conservation research. The gallery replicates outdoor conditions such as temperature, humidity, and vegetation, allowing visitors to view fireflies year-round and learn related science knowledge.
To protect fireflies and their habitats effectively, Qingshen has established the first firefly research and conservation center in Southwest China, studying their species, distribution, and habitats.
In the future, Qingshen plans to collaborate with Sichuan University and Sichuan Agricultural University to create an eco-industrial chain that combines fireflies conservation, research, and utilization, allowing the glow of fireflies to brighten Chinese rural areas.
Source: CCTV news; trans-editing by Guo Yao