Editor's note: China Daily is publishing a series of stories highlighting China's efforts to understand, protect, and sustainably utilize natural resources across different fields and regions in support of national development. In this first installment, we present five exemplary individuals who have been honored as "Most Beautiful Natural Guardians" by the Ministry of Natural Resources for their outstanding contributions.

In the 15 years since Gaoyu village launched a pilot program to consolidate its fragmented "postage-stamp" plots into contiguous farmland, its collective economy has surged more than 80-fold, reaching 8.32 million yuan ($1.15 million) last year. This transformation, led by veteran land manager Wang Weimin, has turned a once-impoverished mountain community into a national model for China's rural vitalization and land-use efficiency.

Wang, deputy director of the natural resources and planning bureau in Anji county, prefers to call himself a "land guardian", a title rooted in his childhood and symbolic of his commitment over the past three decades.

"I grew up in the mountainous region of Anji, where we relied on ration coupons for essentials like rice and flour," the 54-year-old said. "Having experienced famine, my ancestors instilled in my mother a deep appreciation for food, which she passed on to me from a young age. One of her sayings that has left a lasting impression on me is: 'Even if rice falls to the ground, you should still eat it'."

In Wang's memory, reaching the provincial capital Hangzhou meant traversing mountains, and most children studied hard for one reason: to leave. However, after graduating in land management in 1994, Wang decided to stay, driven by a deep bond with his homeland and a sense of duty to its fields.

To gain a deeper understanding of the local farmland, Wang set foot in every village and discovered that the primary problem was the fragmentation of plots, which resulted in low mechanization, poor returns and diminished motivation among farmers to cultivate the land. Rapid urbanization and economic development further exacerbated the situation, with large areas of high-quality farmland being built upon.

Holding the belief to "preserve the land inherited from our ancestors for future generations", Wang promoted the county's land consolidation efforts. After rounds of field research and in-depth discussions, Gaoyu village — where 313 hectares of farmland were sliced into tiny plots by scattered houses — was selected as the pilot site in 2012.

With a population of 6,000, the village's collective annual income at that time was less than 100,000 yuan. To revitalize the inefficient areas, the local government planned four resettlement communities, with follow-up measures including redemarcating the farmland, restoring soil fertility and leasing it to a cooperative for unified management.

However, the villagers were hesitant to be the first to try such an approach. To alleviate their concerns about moving old houses, land transfer and falling income, Wang and his colleagues visited each household, explaining how relocating would enhance their living conditions, how the land transfer would ensure a stable rental income, and how the cooperative would create additional job opportunities. After several months, all 726 households agreed.

The efforts resulted in a restructured landscape where fields became contiguous, irrigation channels were completed, and large machinery could move freely, leading to increased crop output and economic returns. By last year, the village's collective economy had grown more than 80-fold.

"Seeing the villagers' satisfied smiles, I feel my work is truly worthwhile," Wang said.

Such transformations have taken place across tens of thousands of hectares of land in Anji, with an additional 2,000 hectares of arable land created, and land use tailored to local strengths.

These include Wukangqiao village, which has attracted agricultural tourism to its newly consolidated fields, and Hongmiao village, which turned an abandoned mine into a landmark cafe.

"No villages are poor by nature; only resources are poorly matched," Wang said. "As a land guardian, I will keep walking these fields."

limenghan@chinadaily.com.cn