Nestled in mountains, Southwest China's Yunnan province is the ancestral home of tea, a living museum of ancient tea trees and a unique kingdom of biodiversity that's vital to protect.

In line with the province's vision for high-quality development and guided by the Communist Party of China Yunnan Provincial Committee, the Standing Committee of the Yunnan Provincial People's Congress formulated the Regulations on the Protection of Ancient Tea Trees in Yunnan Province, which came into effect on March 1, 2023.

This year, the provincial legislature conducted an inspection of the regulations enforcement, thereby strengthening the integration of legislation and oversight to ensure the scientific protection and use of ancient tea tree resources and to promote the high-quality development of the tea industry.

The ancient tea mountain scenery of Youle Mountain. [Photo provided to npc.gov.cn]

Protection first

Yunnan's wild tea tree communities, ancient tea gardens and centuries-old tea trees are not just “living fossils” that trace the origin and cultivation of tea, they're also a vital genetic resource for the future of tea. These precious and unique biological and cultural treasures form an irreplaceable part of China's tea heritage.

In recent years, Yunnan has vigorously promoted the green development of its tea industry. However, challenges such as inadequate conservation of ancient trees and unregulated construction near tea gardens still persist. This made legal protection not just necessary, but urgent.

To this end, the provincial people's congress took a leading role by establishing a special legislative task force, and drew on expertise from scientific institutions like the Tea Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences to draft a science-backed legislative plan. They also conducted multiple on-site surveys to solicit opinions from local governments, villagers' and residents'committees, tea farmers and enterprises.

After several rounds of surveys, consultations and refinement, the regulations were passed on Nov 30, 2022. Comprising 30 articles, the regulations clearly define ancient tea trees as those over 100 years old, whether wild or cultivated, and provide holistic provisions concerning protection of ancient tea trees across the entire life cycle, covering their genetics, living environment, transplantation, use and even procedures for when a tree dies.

A team from the Standing Committee of the Yunnan Provincial People's Congress conducts a legislative survey on the protection of ancient tea trees in Lancang county, Pu'er city, Southwest China's Yunnan province. [Photo provided to npc.gov.cn]

"The regulations embedded the principle of protection first and the vision of green development into concrete provisions," said Gong Li, director of the Regulations Research Division of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the Yunnan Provincial People's Congress. Gong added that the regulations safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of ancient tea tree owners and operators, while strengthening the responsibilities of the government and relevant authorities. Moreover, the regulations specify six categories of prohibited activities that could damage ancient tea trees or their ecosystems, and introduce stricter protocols for transplant approval and procedures for handling deceased trees. These measures reflect the regulations’ commitment to protecting the ecological environment through institutional arrangements.

"The introduction of the regulations provides a solid legal foundation for the scientific conservation and utilization of ancient tea tree resources," Gong said. "It also paves the way for green development in Yunnan's tea industry, promotes rural vitalization on all fronts and contributes to building a more beautiful Yunnan.”

The booklet of Regulations on the Protection of Ancient Tea Trees in Yunnan province booklet. [Photo provided to npc.gov.cn]