Villagers collect aquatic plants that help purify water at the Bahe ecological park in Xufang village, Chongren county, Fuzhou city, east China's Jiangxi Province. (Photo/Zhu Haipeng)

Villagers in Xufang village, Xufang township of Chongren county, Fuzhou city, east China's Jiangxi Province, were recently harvesting aquatic plants that help purify water at the local Bahe ecological park.

These plants play an important role in ecological restoration endeavors. They are widely used for cleaning up black and smelly water bodies.

In recent years, Chongren county has leveraged its rich natural endowments to create demonstration spots for the highly efficient use of farmlands.

By utilizing red soil farmlands for aquatic plant cultivation in winter, crayfish farming in spring, and rice cultivation in summer and autumn, the county has successfully implemented a sustainable and diversified agricultural system that maximizes the productivity and efficiency of the farmlands throughout the year.

Moreover, aquatic plants have been used to help purify water for farmlands and degrade pesticide residue, serving as high-quality organic fertilizers that effectively reduce chemical fertilizer use.

The approach facilitates the self-purification of water and ecological restoration, thus significantly contributing to the local authorities' efforts to achieve a win-win situation for economic development and ecological conservation.