Daqingshan Mountain is now covered in lush vegetation following a comprehensive environmental restoration program. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The Daqingshan National Nature Reserve and the Helanshan National Nature Reserve, both located in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, recently got top results in an evaluation of their management and effective conservation, released by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Since 2015, the regional capital of Hohhot has committed itself to protecting and restoring the Daqingshan National Nature Reserve. During that year, six mining companies were closed and in the following year, more than 100 mining operations were completely shut down there.

After years of ensuring restoration, the slopes of Daqing Mountain are widely known to have regained their ecological functions in terms of carbon fixation and oxygen release, water conservation, wind prevention and sand fixation, as well as air purification.

Great efforts have been undertaken in Hohhot in recent years to restore its environment. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Helan Mountain National Nature Reserve has made great efforts in its ecological restoration, scientific research monitoring, as well as its wildlife conservation.

After years of hard work, the area of forest resources in the reserve has increased from 518,000 mu (3,453 hectares) in 2001 to 582,000 mu. During the same period, the number of mountain streams has increased from 13 before a grazing ban to 21 currently, while the ecological balance is said to have recovered significantly.