Solving environmental problems close to where people live is a responsibility environmental workers must shoulder. Every city has its own mother river, and the mountains along those rivers are vital to ecological security. In 2016, illegal quarrying was discovered in a national scenic area along one such river. The mountainside facing the river remained beautiful, but the other side had been severely damaged. Using remote sensing technology, we surveyed quarrying activities across the entire river basin and identified more than 40 quarrying sites. Local authorities then shut them down, carried out restoration work and replanted greenery. Remote sensing also allowed us to monitor the location of problems, the progress of remediation and the effectiveness of the results. Seeing how technology helped identify problems, support governance and evaluate outcomes gives us a deep sense of pride. Through these efforts, we restored tranquility and beauty to nature and helped protect our mother river.