A Witness to Yunnan's Ecological Development

Brian Linden has many titles under his belt: traveler, entrepreneur, educator, author and founder of the Linden Center in Yunnan in southwest China that combines tourism with heritage preservation and educational programs. The 60-year-old American, who has been living in Yunnan's Dali Bai autonomous prefecture for decades, is a witness not only to the improvement of people's living standards, but also to China's ecological development.

Linden first visited China in 1984. After working and traveling in more than 100 countries, he returned to China with his family in 2003, as China, he said, was always in his heart.
"China has made so many positive changes since the 2000s and has transitioned into more of a quality of life," Linden said. Even in a small town like Xizhou, where he is living, wastewater is now treated in more advanced ways, demonstrating the government's commitment to improving the environment.
Focusing on economic development at any cost is not difficult, what is difficult is to strike a balance between economic progress and environmental protection. "But China has done it," Linden said. "We should look at this and say that China has improved dramatically per capita."
He thinks it's time to take people back to nature and educate them about the importance of the ecosystem through interaction with nature, such as hiking in the mountains.
He told Science and Technology Daily about his personal experience with nature. "I find (my interactions with nature) sometimes intimidating, which is more important to my understanding of who I am," he said and quoted Irish philosopher Edmund Burke: "Sometimes one of the greatest ways for us to learn or experience something is not only through its beauty, but also through the fear that inspired us."
Linden calls the modern way of traveling very superficial at times. Going beyond the photo is the next step. "Going out and immersing yourself in China's amazing natural resources is what it takes to be in nature. What happens is you leave with a respect for nature that you often don't have when you just take a picture," he said.
When people respect nature, they realize why it is so important to protect it. As the theme of the 2024 International Day for Biological Diversity — Be part of the plan — indicated, halting and reversing the loss of biodiversity is the responsibility of all stakeholders, including every individual and every country.
Source：Global Innovation