Local residents gleefully cycle the streets of Lishui, Zhejiang province. [Photo/zjnews.zjol.com]

Zhejiang province began stepping up efforts to improve the environment at the beginning of this year, as it seeks to build itself into a garden province.

Statistics show that the province had invested 178.6 billion yuan ($25.5 billion) in its Big Garden project as of the end of the third quarter, 7.3 billion yuan more than its annual investment target.

Lishui, known for its healthy environment, has been focusing on building greenways this year. Its two current greenways, in Songyang and Jinyun counties, were selected among the top 10 most beautiful greenways in Zhejiang.

Lishui authorities released a three-year action plan in 2018 to invest 11 billion yuan to build a 2,617-kilometer greenway by 2020.

"We've already invested 5.5 billion yuan and built 1,760 kilometers of the greenway, connecting 1,030 villages, 46 scenic areas at the national 2A level and above, and 1,583 homestay inns," said Zhou Haizhong, deputy director of the Office of Innovation Zone Construction Leading Group in Lishui.

Building a 10,000-kilometer greenway is among the top 10 tasks in Zhejiang's Big Garden project. The province has completed 1,200 kilometers of the greenway so far this year.

The government has also cooperated with rural residents to improve the environment. Thirteen government departments in Longyou county, Quzhou helped improve the courtyards of 66 households in Hongchuantou village this year.