Bordering Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam and situated just south of the Tibetan Plateau, the Southern Chinese province of Yunnan boasts a tropical, yet unique environment. Averaging 1300m above sea level, the name, Yunnan translates to "South of the Clouds". Covering just 4% of China's mainland, Yunnan is regarded as unique for its wide geological variety: luscious rainforest, arid desert and even snow-capped mountains.
Rich in natural abundance, the province of Yunnan has earned its nickname, "The Kingdom of Plants" for its astonishing diversity of flora and fauna. Of China’s 30,000 known species of plant, 18,000 are unique to the province of Yunnan. Rich in flora, Yunnan also sustains 90,000 of China’s 150,000 insect species, and, furthering that, over 1,700 of China’s 3,099 species of vertebrates flourish in Yunnan including 200 rare and protected species such as elephants, wild oxen and Yunnan golden monkeys.
Cultivating a harmonious relationship with nature is at the heart of existence in Yunnan. The Hani community of rice farmers view their work as attaining harmony between man and nature, whilst the Bulang tea pickers strive to preserve the wildlife around them by achieving a peaceful relationship with the wasps that inhabit the trees.Many farms operating in Yunnan today have already been using a variety of sustainable techniques such as multicropping and working by hand wherever possible.
The province’s rich natural ecosystem is proof that we can form a lasting and sustainable relationship with the natural world, rather than at the cost of it. We can learn a lot from the attitude of the farmers in Yunnan, as well as the wealth of knowledge and experience of sustainable agriculture. Yunnan is our inspiration to reconsider our motivation and embrace a more sustainable perspective. Our goal is to inspire you to do the same.
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