Nine individuals were recently honored in Beijing as the "most beautiful natural guardians", recognized for their outstanding contributions to environmental conservation and sustainable development.

The award, established in 2022, is presented by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Ministry of Natural Resources. It aims to highlight exemplary figures who respect, conform to and protect nature, encouraging society to embrace the concept that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets."

The recipients said they will continue their work in the field and further integrate technological innovation to strengthen natural resource investigation and protection.

Wang Guiling, a researcher at the Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology of the Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, was honored for his pioneering contributions to geothermal research.

Having dedicated himself to geothermal studies since 1987, Wang attributed his long commitment to his deep passion for China's mountains and rivers. He also said his work aligns with the national strategy for clean energy development.

His contributions include systematically mapping the country's geothermal resources, advancing theoretical understanding of China's geothermal systems and innovating exploration and extraction technologies.

Wang stressed the importance of aligning resource mapping with cutting-edge international developments. He expressed his determination to continue dedicating himself to the field and his hope of promoting industry progress through international academic exchanges.

Ding Zhengjiang from the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources was also honored with the title this year. With more than two decades of experience in geological exploration, Ding has spent more than one-third of each year conducting fieldwork.

He has led more than 100 geological exploration projects, with his team achieving major breakthroughs, including the discovery of a super-large offshore gold deposit in Laizhou, Shandong province, as well as beryllium deposits and antimony-gold deposits in the Jiaodong region.

"To seek truth in geological exploration, one must venture into the wild — whether the mountains or deserts — to obtain firsthand data," Ding said. "Geological workers need not only the physical endurance of a farmer but also the mind of a scientist."

From relying solely on basic tools such as geological hammers to using advanced intelligent technologies, Ding and his team have established a geological database of Shandong's gold deposits. The system enables rapid identification of key metallogenic information through intelligent management and spectroscopic scanning technologies, providing important technical support for geological exploration and research.

Another honoree, Shi Xiaojun, a senior engineer at the South China Sea Ecological Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources, echoed Ding's views and emphasized the importance of innovative thinking and advanced technologies in coral reef conservation.

Shi established China's first coral reef ecological database and a national coral reef monitoring and management system, integrating data from remote sensing, drones, field surveys and online monitoring.

In addition, Shi's team used environmental DNA and gene-editing technologies to develop a rapid detection kit for the crown-of-thorns starfish, a major predator of coral reefs. The kit can accurately identify gene fragments of the starfish in seawater within three hours, significantly reducing both survey time and costs while enabling more frequent detection.

The technology facilitates more precise risk assessments of crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks and contributes Chinese expertise to global early warning and monitoring of coral reef predator threats.

Shi highlighted the dual meaning of "the most beautiful."

"It signifies both the beauty of nature, as seen in the vibrant, life-rich coral reefs that we must preserve for future generations, and the beauty of the people — the unsung heroes who brave the waves and hardships to protect marine ecosystems and safeguard our seas. Their dedication deserves to be seen."