"At the beginning of developing the under-forest economy, I was just like most villagers - full of worries. But now it's clear that the under-forest economy can truly invigorate our collective economy and help villagers prosper," said Kelsang Chodron, the rural revitalization specialist of Bodong Village, BaibungTown, Medog Countyof Nyingchi City, China's Xizang Autonomous Region.

In recent years, based on the local natural conditions, resource endowments, and industrial foundations, the region has vigorously developed under-forest characteristic cultivation and breeding industries such as gastrodia elata, ganoderma lucidum, and chickens. By deeply integrating ecotourism with forest-based economies, the region  has tapped into the sector's unrealized potential. Through diversified models such as under-forest farming, forest-based tourism, and niche livestock breeding, it has pioneered a sustainable development pathway that balances ecological conservation with livelihood enhancement, forging a harmonious synergy between green stewardship and prosperity-driven growth.

Medog County, located in southeastern Xizang, enjoys a subtropical humid climate characterized by year-round warmth and abundant rainfall. Building on its natural resource advantages, Bodong Village has been actively exploring new approaches to develop under-forest cultivation. After nearly three years of experimentation and practice, the village has established aviable under-forest economic model focusing on ganoderma lucidum and golden thread orchid cultivation. Currently, the village has cultivated ganoderma lucidum across 1,6000㎡, with cumulative sales exceeding 1,250 kg, generating approximately 600,000 yuan in revenue.

"In 2024, our village's collective economy income exceeded 350,000 yuan, with 300,000 yuanearned through the development of under-forest economy," said Kelsang Chodron.

Gongbo'gyamda County is the main production area of Tricholoma matsutake in Nyingchi City. Every matsutake season, many tourists come to purchase it. In 2009, Yonten Gyatso from Zari Village, Zhugla Town, Gongbo'gyamda County, jointly foundedthe Gongbo'gyamda Zhugla Matsutake Processing Farmers' Professional Cooperative along with four other shareholders. The cooperative purchases matsutake from local villagers, then conducts unified processing and sales, helping surrounding communities increase their incomes together.

"The cooperative has helped us a lot," said Pema Khamtrul, a villager from Bahe Town who chose to return to her hometown after graduate and now handles administrative work for the cooperative. She told reporters,"last year, our family earned over 30,000 yuan from harvesting matsutake, and with caterpillar fungus collection, our total income reached 70,000 to 80,000 yuan."

The development and utilization of these under-forest products such as Tricholoma matsutake,ganoderma lucidum,and gastrodia elata have broadened income channels for local people, with many families earning tens of thousands of yuan in additional annual income through seasonal harvesting.

To expand sales channels, the region has established an e-commerce service center to help farmers and herders in marketing specialty products like Tricholoma matsutakeand ganoderma lucidum nationwide through live-streaming sales and internet marketing.

The development of under-forest economy initiatives have enabled locals to embrace sustainable livelihoods rooted in ecological conservation and green development. In the future, Xizang will continue optimizing the industrial structure by expanding into high-value sectors like deep processing, ecotourism, and wellness tourism, ensuring the "green dividend" benefits more farmers and herders.

Reporter: Shi Jinru

Translator: Tenzin Seldron, Zhi Xinghua

Review: Hu Rongguo, Dong Xiuli