With investment totaling 1.9 billion yuan (US$230 million), a
"Forestry Sustainable Development Project" has officially kicked
off in China according to a recent announcement made by the State
Forestry Administration.
The project is another major forestry construction scheme to be
carried out in China, following three others -- the National
Afforestation Project, the Forestry Resources Development and
Protection Project, and Forestry Development in Poverty-stricken
Area.
The Forestry Sustainable Development Project includes donations of
16.9 million euros (US$16.78 million) from the European Union (EU),
US$16 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and a
US$93.9 million loan from the World Bank (WB).
The project involves three major parts. The first regards the
management of 210,000 hectares of natural forests in Hainan
Province and is funded by EU. The second part is concerned with
natural protection and management of 13 reserves covering 1.16
million hectares and will be funded by the GEF. The third part will
involve the planting of artificial forests, and will use money
loaned from the WB to support 250,000 hectares in 110 counties from
11 different provinces including Hebei, Shanxi and Liaoning.
Preparations for the project began in December 1998. It has taken
more than three years to conduct feasibility studies,
pre-evaluations, evaluations, and negotiate plans and other
procedures.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Tingting, December 5, 2002)