Wufeng is deemed as one of the poorest counties in Hubei province. In one of the villages there is a slope where neither plant nor protection measure exists. Heavy rains could trigger mudslides that jeopardise nearby villagers.
CEDAR assists villagers to manage this slope by planting tea trees, thus reducing the risk of mudslide and protecting about 210 households in that village who use the road running along at the foot of the slope frequently. The project includes disaster risk reduction training for local villagers, helping them to be better prepared to respond to possible disasters hitting their region.
With its long and intertwining root system which has good soil reinforcement property, tea tree is effective for mudslide prevention.. CEDAR provides organic farming training to encourage villagers to plant tea trees in organic way. Organic tea planting not only generates more profit but also facilitates environmental conservation. Starting from the third year the tea leaves can be harvested for sale. The plants can produce tea leaves for decades, providing villagers a secure source of income.