Biodiversity Restoration in Jinping Butterfly Valley

Jinping Butterfly Valley, located in Ma’andi Township, Jinping County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province, is one of the world’s few known “butterfly explosion zones.” Every year from May to June, billions of butterflies — including Stichophthalma Howqua (Jungle queen), Neorina patria (Owl), and Kallima inachus (Orange Oakleaf)— emerge and take flight together, creating a spectacular natural phenomenon. However, extreme climate change and ecosystem homogenization are increasingly threatening butterfly biodiversity in the region.

The project aims to transform Honghe Butterfly Valley from a seasonal natural spectacle into an integrated demonstration site combining ecological conservation and sustainable development, building the globally recognized brand “China · Honghe Butterfly Valley.” Through scientific restoration strategies, the project seeks to extend the butterfly activity season, enhance biodiversity, and convert ecological value into developmental momentum — creating a collaborative model of ecological revitalization.

Under the guidance of the Assistance Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the project is jointly advanced by the Jinping County Government, Xiaohongshu (RED), and Good to Nature, with scientific support from the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences. It follows a closed-loop model of “Scientific Restoration – Community Co-benefit – Social Participation”, establishing a long-term mechanism in which ecological conservation and rural revitalization reinforce each other.

Guided by experts from multiple disciplines, the project advances scientific ecological restoration by planting additional nectar and host plants throughout Butterfly Valley. This approach aims to extend the butterfly activity period from 1.5 months to over 6 months, building a sustainable biodiversity habitat system that serves as a replicable model of ecological conservation and restoration both in China and internationally.