Official Says China’s Forest Cover to Reach 20 Per Cent By 2010

Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency)

Beijing, 27 February: China will expand its investment in reforestation over the next five years with the goal of raising the country’s forest cover from the current 18.21 per cent to 20 per cent.

The plan was announced by the State Forestry Administration (SFA) Director Jia Zhibang at a news conference here Monday [27 February].

Prevention and control of desertification, construction of wildlife and wetland natural reserves and the development of fast- growing, high-yield timber forest will also be the focuses of the administration, said the official.

Jia said China has implemented its forestry development strategy over the past five years, investing a total of 212bn yuan (26.5bn US dollars) in key projects including the protection over natural forests, replanting forests on former farmland with fast-growing and high-yield timber forests.

The latest statistics from the SFA show that China’s forest stock volume reaches 12.5 billion cubic meters and the forest cover is 18.21 per cent.

Jia said China’s deserts shrank by 1,283 sq.km. every year.