Volunteers shovel soil, position saplings and firm the earth around newly planted trees at Shenzhen North Railway Station Central Park in Longhua District on March 17,  as part of a district-wide greening campaign ahead of the 2026 APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting.  Photos by Bao'an Daily

As spring renews the landscape, Longhua District is stepping up its green efforts ahead of a major international event.

On the morning of March 17, Longhua launched its 2026 district-wide voluntary tree-planting campaign at Shenzhen North Railway Station Central Park, as part of Guangdong’s broader ecological development drive under the coordinated efforts of officials at five administrative levels.

The event comes as Shenzhen prepares to host the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in 2026. Shenzhen North Railway Station Central Park, the main venue for the event, holds symbolic significance. As a key supporting facility for one of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area’s major transportation hubs, the park is also seen as a “first gateway” and a “city living room” through which Shenzhen greets visitors from across China and around the world.

Carrying the theme “Plant New Greenery, Open New Horizons, Write a New Chapter,” the event marked not only a spring afforestation initiative but also the official launch of Longhua’s urban environment improvement campaign in preparation for APEC.

At 9 a.m., participants at the main venue got to work, shoveling soil, positioning saplings, filling pits and watering newly planted trees. By the end of the morning, 60 purple trumpet trees had been planted in Shenzhen North Station Central Park. Beyond adding vibrant seasonal color to the cityscape, the new trees also symbolized Longhua’s commitment to building a greener and more livable urban environment.

Participants work in coordination to dig, backfill and secure a young tree at Shenzhen North Railway Station Central Park in Longhua District on March 17, contributing to a campaign that saw around 1,300 trees planted across the district.

Tree-planting activities were also held simultaneously across the district. A total of 40 events took place in Longhua’s subdistricts and communities that day, drawing about 1,100 participants and resulting in the planting of around 1,300 trees.

Since the start of this year, Longhua has organized 60 spring tree-planting events, with about 1,600 participants planting roughly 2,100 trees in total.

For Longhua, each tree planted today is an investment in a greener tomorrow. The district said it will use this campaign as a new starting point, aligning with the APEC vision of green, low-carbon and sustainable development, turning ecological strengths into development advantages, and presenting a higher-standard urban image to visitors from around the world.