These efforts have borne fruit. By the end of last year, Hebei's forested area totaled approximately 6.7 million hectares, and the province boasted a forest coverage rate of 35.3 percent, up from 31 percent in 2015.

In May, female and nestling Baer's pochards were observed in Hebei's Baiyangdian Lake for the first time, proving that the Baiyangdian wetlands have become a breeding ground for these critically endangered ducks.

"Baer's pochards require a high-quality ecological environment. Their arrival is strong proof that the ecological environment of Baiyangdian Lake has improved," says Yang Song, deputy director of the planning and construction bureau of the Xiong'an New Area.

Hebei's significant ecological progress is a high point in China's comprehensive implementation of its "forest chief" project, according to Zhang Tao, an official from Hebei's Forestry and Grassland Bureau.

Over a year ago, China issued a guideline to implement the "forest chief" project nationwide by June 2022. In achieving this goal, the country has so far appointed nearly 1.2 million forest chiefs.