(ECNS) -- The Guest-Greeting Pine, a landmark on Huangshan Mountain in East China's Anhui Province, has been undergoing thorough physical examination for better conservation.
The 10-meter-tall pine, whose roots sprang from the rocks on the UNESCO world heritage site, stands at an altitude of more than 1,600 meters. Its recognizable feature is a long branch extending like an outstretched arm in a welcoming gesture.
"The pine has been growing well. This kind of ancient tree cannot grow too fast. One or two centimeters a year is enough. As long as its leaves are plump ad green, it is healthy." said Xu Xiaoniu, professor of Anhui Agricultural University.
A series of work including growth evacuation, growing environment improvement, anticorrosion, restoration will be carried out during the period. A temporary scaffold has been erected covering the entire tree. This year marks the fifth such examination which will last till the end of October.
Experts have been conducting the examination and evaluation, and will accordingly formulate a comprehensive protection plan for the pine.
"Now we can say that the welcoming pine has been growing well at the moment," said Shu Qinglong, professor of Anhui Agricultural University, "Most of the trunks are fine at the moment. Very few of them are cracking and falling off, so we need to further repair the tree."
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