Recently, the first insurance policy for ancient trees in Tibet has been successfully implemented, underwritten by China Life Property & Casualty Insurance’s Tibet branch. This policy offers a total risk coverage of 1 million yuan for five ancient trees, including a 2,100-year-old walnut tree in Shannan City, which is recognized as the oldest tree in the region.
As we enter Jiacha County in Shannan City, known as the “Hometown of Millennial Walnuts,” we are greeted by majestic ancient walnut trees that have withstood the test of time. Among them stands the Anrao Town ancient walnut tree, over 2,100 years old, towering like a giant against the backdrop of towering snow-capped mountains and the flowing Yarlung Tsangpo River, showcasing the unique and breathtaking ecological landscape of the Tibetan plateau.
Growing a tree in such a high-altitude environment is a significant challenge, making those that reach the age of a thousand years even more precious. Ancient trees are living artifacts, regarded as a valuable natural heritage bestowed upon humanity. They are irreplaceable resources that hold immense economic, scientific, and cultural value.
The coverage provided by this ancient tree insurance includes damages caused by unexpected incidents, severe weather events, geological disasters, and other factors that may lead to loss, burial, death, breakage of the main trunk, uprooting, leaning, or branch loss that prevents normal growth. This initiative represents an innovative approach to protecting ancient trees in Tibet. By introducing a commercial insurance mechanism, it enhances the safeguarding of these unique trees and establishes a market-oriented risk-sharing system for their protection. This integration of commercial insurance and ecological conservation effectively leverages green insurance’s role in protecting the environment.
