Birds and trees are not often associated with cars or automotive manufacturers. But Audi is a maverick that has stepped forward to change the stereotype, convinced that biodiversity in major cities is essential for sustainable development.

For the past two years, the German premium carmaker has been fostering urban biodiversity in Beijing, with an emphasis on protecting birds as well as ancient trees in the Chinese capital.

The efforts are part of the Audi China Biodiverse City Initiative. Launched in May 2023, it aligns with Audi China's vision "To Enlighten A Beautiful Life" and its commitment to a sustainable future where people and nature thrive in harmony.

"Our 'Audi China Biodiverse City Initiative' inspires people to protect biodiversity and build a green, beautiful and livable city," said Johannes Roscheck, president of Audi China.

The latest fruit of the initiative was the Beijing Biodiverse City Ancient Tree Guidebook released on Oct 8 at the Temple of Heaven Park in Beijing.

The guidebook aims to enhance the public's understanding of ancient trees, encouraging urban residents to recognize, value and safeguard the trees around them, thus protecting urban biodiversity and contributing to a sustainable future, said Audi.

Audi is convinced that ancient trees, as an important component of the terrestrial ecosystem, play an irreplaceable role in enhancing biodiversity and mitigating climate change.

Under the guidance of the Office of Beijing Greening Commission, Audi China co-compiled the guidebook with the Beijing Afforestation Foundation and experts from the Ancient Tree Health and Culture Engineering Technology Research Center of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Miriam Mayer-Ebert, Audi China's executive vice-president of operation and transformation, said: "This guidebook is designed for Beijing's urban residents, aiming to enhance people's understanding of ancient trees and guide readers toward a more scientific approach to viewing and protecting these natural treasures."

The guidebook offers a comprehensive overview of ancient trees in Beijing, such as their definitions and classifications, and introduces in detail the status of ancient trees in the city.

In China, trees aged more than 100 years old are defined as ancient ones. However, Beijing has a more detailed classification. Of its ancient trees, those older than 300 years are classified as first-class ones while those aged between 100 and 300 years are second-class.

Currently, there are more than 40,000 ancient and famous trees in Beijing, making it perhaps the city with the most ancient trees in the world. Of those, the oldest one is a cypress tree aged around 3,500 years old in Miyun district. Named after its size, the tree is called jiulou shibacha, which literally means "nine arms and 18 branches" in Chinese.

The book also highlights representative specimens within the city and provides practical information on identifying, appreciating and protecting ancient trees.

For those who are interested in seeing them in person, this guidebook offers the readers 17 destinations, encouraging urban residents to engage with these gems.

"We warmly invite all nature lovers and environmental enthusiasts to join us in protecting urban biodiversity through practical actions," said Mayer-Ebert.

From a historical and cultural perspective, ancient trees are like history books. Often found in scenic spots, around temples, ancestral halls, or inside and outside villages, they merge seamlessly with folk culture, recording and transmitting centuries of historical narratives.

One example is a Chinese Scholar Tree, aged 1,200 years, in Beihai Park. According to historical records, Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) had a deep love for this ancient tree.

To admire it, he ordered the construction of a pavilion beside it and penned poems about the tree, making the pavilion a favored royal retreat. In 2018, this tree was named one of 10 Most Beautiful Kings of Trees in Beijing.

Yang Shutian, chairman of Beijing Afforestation Foundation, said: "As 'ecological treasures' of the city, ancient trees are pivotal for biodiversity protection and ecological improvement.

"We believe that the Beijing Biodiverse City Ancient Tree Guidebook, jointly created with Audi China, will serve as a vital resource empowering the public to participate in the protection of ancient trees and urban biodiversity," said Yang.

Ancient trees are not only part of nature's diverse ecosystems but play an irreplaceable role in carbon fixation, oxygen release, soil and water conservation, ecological balance and biodiversity protection.

They also serve as empirical data for studying local ancient climates, plant distribution and ecological changes, enabling people to discover extensive information about local climates, hydrology, vegetation and environmental changes.

"The launch of the guidebook serves as a concrete extension and interpretation of Audi's global 'Mission: Zero' program. At Audi China, we are committed to fulfilling our pledge to preserve biodiversity, recognizing it as an essential measure in taking action for a sustainable future," said Roscheck.

Roscheck said Audi China regards ancient trees as living proof of the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, and an indispensable element of biodiversity in urban development.

"Through this effort, we hope to inspire more people to understand, appreciate and protect ancient trees," he said.

The guidebook on ancient trees released this year followed another on bird-watching, which was released in 2023 when the carmaker kicked off the Audi China Biodiverse City Initiative.

Featuring 15 parks in downtown Beijing and four suburban routes in the city, the book details the natural habitats, bird-watching trails and common bird species, as well as essential equipment and techniques for bird-watching.

On the day of its release, Audi China, guided by nonprofit Friends of Nature, organized a bird-watching and biodiversity experience event.

Participants enjoyed the natural scenery while learning about birds and biodiversity, experiencing the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.

Notably, the journey included a visit to the Olympic Forest Park, where efforts to balance human activities and nature have rejuvenated urban biodiversity.

Liu Jinmei, director-general of Friends of Nature, said: "We have always hoped to restore the connection between people and nature, protect the precious ecological environment and promote the emergence and growth of green citizens.

"We are pleased to witness an increasing number of urban residents becoming true 'Biodiverse City Guardians' protecting their city's natural legacy," said Liu.

Over the past two years, the results from the Audi China Biodiverse City Initiative represent its contribution to building a harmonious coexistence between people, cities and nature.

As a global enterprise, Audi has been pushing frontiers, leading the way in high-end mobility while embedding sustainable principles throughout its value chain.