Comrade Yang Shanzhou has conducted in-depth and meticulous investigation and study on how to select seedlings, create land in the forest, and graft the forest trees, and only by planting trees and afforestation can we give New Green Life to Daliang Mountain. I worked with him since I was 18 years old, and he saved my life, and my life was enriched by knowing him.
Interviewee: Zhao Hu, born in 1973, is a staff member of Shanzhou Forestry Farm in Shidian County. Since July 2019, he has served as the deputy director and engineer of Shanzhou Forest Farm in Shidian County.
Interview Group: Luo Chunli, Liu Xiaojing, Huang Fei, Jiang Yanyan
Interview date: November 19, 2021
Interview location: Shidian County Forestry and Grassland Bureau
Interview Group: Comrade Zhao Hu, hello! When did you come to work at the forest farm? When you went to work on the forest farm, what stage did you go to in afforestation?
Zhao Hu: At the beginning of 1992, I went to the forest farm, when I was 18 years old. At that time, it was the time when large-scale afforestation began, afforestation began with the selection of seedlings, and after the seedlings were bred, afforestation began, and our work was to focus on afforestation and forest care, and the base of seedlings was in this position in the current Comrade Yang Shanzhou Cemetery.
Interview Group: There are many factors to consider in the selection of seedlings, how did Comrade Yang Shanzhou make the choice?
Zhao Hu: The selection and breeding of seedlings in Shanzhou Forest Farm was repeatedly investigated and inspected by Comrade Yang Shanzhou, combined with the actual soil climate of Daliang Mountain, and finally decided to take cypress saplings and Huashan pine seedlings as the main tree species. These two tree species are more suitable for alpine mountains, grow fast, and are more popular with the local people. Other tree species also include catalpa trees, and the yew trees were planted experimentally, and the number of species at that time was not large, mainly planted next to the cemetery. In the early 1990s, Comrade Yang Shanzhou realized that the development of forest farms is also inseparable from market demand, he specially did some market research, and learned that the yew growing in the alpine mountains may be a precious medicinal material, and at that time he told us that this yew is a good medicine in the future. He went to buy seeds to cultivate, but the rate of seedlings we cultivated ourselves was too low. Later, I learned that there are still more varieties of yew trees, choose a good variety type to buy, and the final successful experiment is the alpine yew, which developed some areas at that time. However, because we allowed the local people to herd cattle and sheep in the early stage of our forest farm, Comrade Yang Shanzhou believed that afforestation should also take into account the development of the rural animal husbandry industry and the increase of farmers' income. Sheep like to nibble on yew bark, which destroys a lot of our yew trees, and now only a small number of yew trees remain.
Interview Group: How does Comrade Yang Shanzhou solve the technical problems of afforestation?
Zhao Hu: At that time, our seedlings were the technical deputy director of the forest farm, and Comrade Yang Shanzhou was equivalent to the general consultant of technology, who personally led us to study and decide where to prepare the land and where to raise seedlings, including the construction of the nursery land, the selection of seedling varieties, and the inter-seeding after the emergence of seedlings. At that time, our young people had no experience at all, and they all ran around with Comrade Yang Shanzhou, who taught us a series of experiences such as planting trees and afforestation techniques and teaching us how to choose seedlings.
Comrade Yang Shanzhou personally grafted saplings
Interview Group: Comrade Yang Shanzhou is an expert in afforestation, where did he learn his afforestation techniques, especially grafting techniques?
Zhao Hu: Comrade Yang Shanzhou's skillful fruit and wood grafting technology stems from his extensive study during his leadership position. He often learned from forestry technicians, engineers and folk masters about fruit tree grafting and seedling selection. After I came to the forest farm, I learned that the main breed of our forest farm was Huashan pine seedling, and at that time, this Huashan pine seedling was called "Hundred Day Miao", and Comrade Yang Shanzhou told me why it was called "Hundred Day Miao"? This kind of seedling is our seedling in the spring, which can basically come out of the nursery in 100 days, and then the rainy season can be transplanted. Originally, under the leadership of Comrade Yang Shanzhou, we all carried out afforestation in the rainy season, and generally we stopped afforestation after the autumn, and planted the saplings in the rainy season before the autumn. Some plots, after three or five years, will grow some weeds, we have to do the caressing. Because the forest built at that time was too dense, we had to cut down some of the trees, some trees that were not suitable for growth or had no value, we also had to clean it up, and after cutting it, it was no longer afforested, but re-nurtured. The plot of land that was successfully afforested also had to be nurtured several times, and it was after such repeated care that today's forest farm was built.
Comrade Yang Shanzhou taught us the technique of grafting, grafting wild walnuts, going to places where there are pickled walnuts to choose strong branches, and grafting them into pickled walnuts, so that after three or two years, they will blossom and bear fruit. Grafting technology starts from the selection of branches, how many kinds of grafting methods, which grafting methods are suitable for what varieties, and which kinds are best to use, all of which comrade Yang Shanzhou taught us, such as grafting walnuts generally with "broken head connection" and so on. At that time, the main technique I learned was walnut tree reconnection.
Interview Group: In addition to seedling grafting, did Comrade Yang Shanzhou also teach everyone other afforestation techniques?
Zhao Hu: Comrade Yang Shanzhou also taught us the trick of using labor tools, first of all, learning to sharpen a machete. He always said, "Sharpen the knife and don't cut the wood by mistake." "Everyone is given a machete, and the machete will curl in twenty minutes in the afforestation field, and it will not be able to cut it, so we foresters must learn to sharpen the machete." Every day when they go out to work on the construction site, each person brings a machete and a hoe, both of which are indispensable tools. Our afforestation is all on rainy days, and in the afforestation work, Comrade Yang Shanzhou is wearing a coat, and we young people are wearing tarpaulin. The most important rain gear for everyone is the bamboo leaf hat, which can not affect production when it rains.
Then there was the choice of hoes, we had not worked when we came into the forest farm, and we did not know how to cut the hoes and how to choose. To dig the pond with a hoe to plant seedlings, the hoe is loose, and the hoe is blunt, these are all things that Comrade Yang Shanzhou has taught us. Sharpening machetes, making hoes, draping oil paper instead of coats, and where this hemp rope should be worn so that it will not be wet by the rain, these are all taught by Comrade Yang Shanzhou step by step. I learned to sharpen a machete with Comrade Yang Shanzhou and learned to make a hoe handle. Comrade Yang Shanzhou also taught us some skills for working, such as whether it is digging a hoe or using a machete, do not hold too tightly, hold it easily, squeeze it tightly, it may be dry for a long time, and the palm of the hand will blister. At first, Comrade Yang Shanzhou spoke, but we did not master it well, and at the beginning of labor, the bubbles on the hands of each month were several layers of grinding and grinding. At that time, our young people were still working better than Comrade Yang Shanzhou, his hands were full of calluses, and sometimes, we were still lazy when we worked, and Comrade Yang Shanzhou worked to rest after the work was done. At that time, although Comrade Yang Shanzhou was in his sixties, his health was still good, his spirit was good, his motivation was sufficient, he worked with us for a long time, ate and lived together, and rarely got sick.
Interview Group: What will Comrade Yang Shanzhou talk to you about when he is together?
Zhao Hu: At that time, our young people were most confused about why Comrade Yang Shanzhou wanted to set up a forest farm, and everyone asked him, why did you want to rectify this forest farm if you were not tidy? Hiding in the mountains to do such a large forest farm does not reflect any value, why don't you open a hotel like others, so that the money can be recovered quickly, and how many years of afforestation will not see benefits. At that time, Comrade Yang Shanzhou said that the purpose of doing these things was not to make money, but to put people first and to solve the problem of people's survival.
Interview Group: At that time, you were only 18 years old, and you were a young man, what were the requirements of Comrade Yang Shanzhou for your study and life?
Zhao Hu: Comrade Yang Shanzhou asked everyone to take advantage of their young age to learn more things, and it will be beneficial in the future. When I came, the traffic conditions were very poor, the dirt road of Shanzhou Forest Farm had just been opened, the living standard at that time was too low, and there were no cars on this road, but the forest farm occasionally ran a few tractors to the countryside. At that time, the forest farm was poor, and the things we learned were all the books and magazines that Comrade Yang Shanzhou brought back from outside, books on forestry, or books and newspapers three or five months ago. We had a TELEVISION in the forest farm at that time, and he would take everyone to watch the news together in the evening, talk about some current events, ask us to look at the news of the national government, understand current affairs and politics, know where the social era has developed, and often tell us not to hide in the mountains, resulting in disconnection from modern society, not knowing anything.
In the life of the forest farm, Comrade Yang Shanzhou shared weal and woe with us, and he did not open a small stove alone. At that time, there were more young workers like me in the forest farm, and the age difference between them was about three or five years old. Comrade Yang Shanzhou took into account everyone's marriage problems, especially after the completion of the task in the rainy season, he arranged for us to find a girlfriend to fall in love. After almost three or five years, most people's personal problems were also solved, and there were some that were not solved, comrade Yang Shanzhou directly gave him three months of leave, specifically to find a girlfriend, to complete personal problems. There was once a young worker named He Ruiwei who enjoyed the benefits of finding a girlfriend for three months on vacation.
Interview Group: How are you treated when you go up the mountain to set up a forest farm?
Zhao Hu: Our Shanzhou Forest Farm belongs to a public institution directly managed by the county government, and its business is under the supervision of the Forestry Bureau. At that time, our income was quite low, and my salary for a month in the first year I just came in was only more than ten yuan, and I only received a regular salary after a full year, which was fifty-two yuan a month. At that time, there were three yuan a day subsidies in the mountains, and the subsidies and wages were more than a hundred, and with the completion of the afforestation task, these subsidies were cancelled after 1997.
Interview Group: Did Comrade Yang Shanzhou discuss with you the development of economic forests and optimize tree species for the market?
Zhao Hu: Comrade Yang Shanzhou discussed with you that in order to achieve the sustainable development of Shanzhou Forest Farm, it is necessary to select some feasible project tree species and try to develop various new varieties including fruit trees, such as yew, plum, chestnut, walnut, tea. Among them, under the leadership of Yang Shanzhou, a tea garden of 1,500 mu was successfully built.
Comrade Yang Shanzhou gave his last account of his work in the forest farm
Interview Group: Was Comrade Yang Shanzhou present at the last time you came to the forest farm? What did he explain to everyone?
Zhao Hu: The last time Comrade Yang Shanzhou came into the forest farm, it was I who drove to the forest farm, and we accompanied him everywhere and looked at it. He thought about our lives and work and asked everyone if they were all right. I told him that everyone was fine, that they were healthy and not sick, and that everyone should seriously go on a mountain tour. Comrade Yang Shanzhou and all of us took a picture at the door of the new field department and told us to manage the forest farm well, not to say that no one is in charge if I am not there, and not to have such thoughts. None of us knew that this was the last time Comrade Yang Shanzhou had arranged work. At that time, he also told everyone that in the future, the forest should have new development in your hands, and you should see the hope for the future, not just know how to guard the mountain! You have to think about what you have to do in the future, and you have to survive with your descendants. At that time, my biggest experience was that Comrade Yang Shanzhou was always concerned about the development of Shanzhou Forest Farm and the future and destiny of forest farm workers.
Interview Group: Everyone says that Comrade Yang Shanzhou saved your life, please talk about the relevant situation.
Zhao Hu: I clearly remember that it was noon on May 31, 2002, I was riding a motorcycle to work, passing a quarry on the way, and was hit by falling stones, and for a while, my consciousness was not clear. Later, I was taken by the construction team next to me with a tractor to the neighboring Yaoguan Health Center, when my life was in danger, and the medical conditions of the health center were limited, and I could not be rescued. After Comrade Yang Shanzhou heard the news of my injury, he rushed to the health center in more than 20 minutes, and after listening to the advice of the doctors of the health center, he immediately dialed the 120 emergency telephone number of Baoshan People's Hospital and asked the doctor to go to Yaoguan for first aid. At that time, the hospital staff on duty was worried that I could not bear the medical expenses, and repeatedly said that the road was long and the cost was high and the cost was 900 yuan. Comrade Yang Shanzhou immediately said: "Don't say 900 yuan, even 9,000 yuan, we also want to please, I want to save the lives of my employees, I Yang Shanzhou will not rely on your account!" "Just like that, at one o'clock in the morning, I was finally received to baoshan people's hospital for treatment. After I woke up, I heard from my family that Comrade Yang Shanzhou had been outside the rescue room until late at night, until I was out of danger to my life. It can be said that without Comrade Yang Shanzhou, there would be no me now.
Interview Team: After you recovered and were discharged from the hospital, did you continue to return to the forest farm to work?
Zhao Hu: When I was discharged from the hospital, I returned to the forest farm to work, and when I met Comrade Yang Shanzhou, he said to me: "I am very anxious to hear that you have an accident, and I usually tell you to be careful when you travel, pay attention to safety is not to listen!" You worked with me when you were 18 years old, and if anything happens to you, how can I be worthy of your family! For so many years, I have treated you like my children, and I must pay attention to safety when I travel in the future. Looking at Comrade Yang Shanzhou's expression, like a father teaching his son, I was moved to tears and immediately flowed out. From that moment on, I made up my mind not to live up to his expectations of me, to work hard, to do my job well, and to repay his kindness to me with practical actions. Today, I still work in the forest farm, and I will take Comrade Yang Shanzhou as my example and guard the grass and trees of our forest farm for him!
Interview Group: Following Comrade Yang Shanzhou to establish and build a forest farm, what do you have some feelings?
Zhao Hu: I have worked in the forest farm for more than twenty years, from a young man to a middle-aged man, and I am much more mature than I was then. Following Comrade Yang Shanzhou to plant trees and run a forest farm, we never regarded him as an official, but as a relative at home, and we communicated with him very freely and spoke freely. He has a great influence on the growth of our thinking, and the impetuousness prevalent in society has never affected the young people of our Shanzhou Forest Farm. Although I personally did not have much lofty ideals, working with Comrade Yang Shanzhou, I learned some things, learned how to bear loneliness, learned to understand tolerance, learned to be indifferent to fame and fortune, and had no quarrel with the world. His behavior and actions deeply affect us, and this is the power of an example.