(October 18, 2011) Miyun County, northeast of Beijing, is the home of Miyun Reservoir – Beijing’s main water source.  China Daily, an official news source, says Beijing is going to extraordinary lengths to protect Miyun’s water. If it is to be believed, no industrial projects are allowed in the area, and farmers upstream are prohibited from using fertilizers or chemicals.

Miyun making itself ecologically friendlier

China Daily

Its new, cleaner business district will be closer to Beijing for everyone’s benefit.

The county of Miyun, which lies just to the northeast of downtown Beijing, will publicize a development plan for its Ecologically Friendly Business District at a two-day economic conference in Beijing this month to attract the attention of businesses worldwide.

The occasion is the Beijing-Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Symposium, which runs Oct 20 to 21 in Beijing.

One major reason for the event is the county’s unique position as the home of North China’s largest reservoir, and the fact that this has, to some degree, hindered its economic development over the past years.

The Miyun Reservoir happens to be the major water supply for Beijing and the county is an important ecological shield. So, to protect the ecology of the area, no major industrial projects have been allowed in and around the Miyun area.

In addition, farmers who live upstream from the reservoir are not allowed to use chemicals and fertilizers in crop production.

Because of the big sacrifice the locals have made for the sake of the environment and Beijing, they are now looking for more economic benefits from this new approach.

Read the full article here, or at China Daily.