Tea time for many cultures around the world is an intentional moment to gather with friends and loved ones. In Hong Kong, tea shops hold a special place in the hearts of the locals.

China is no longer the world’s most populous country. By 2050, the number of people aged over 65 in China is expected to double. These demographic and aging trends combined with rapid urbanization are steadily driving depopulation in China’s remote, mountainous, and agrarian areas closest to wildlife. How will these changing demographics affect the future of conservation in China?

Beyond nature reserves, national parks, and other protected areas, China has a recent addition to its habitat protection strategy that is less understood and seldom talked about - Ecological Conservation Redlines, or ecological redlines for short. They cover over a quarter of the country and provide the most widespread coverage of minimum “do not harm” protection standards across the country.