Beijing initiated an environmental protection foundation for local youth to mark this year's Arbor Day, a national day to encourage tree planting and tree care which fell on March 12.

The 5 million yuan (US$605,000) foundation will fund the activities of "Youth Green", which will help to protect and improve the ecological environment around Beijing. The project will mobilize juveniles and encourage the public to engage in vigorous afforestation, control water and soil erosion, control pollution and protect the ecological environment in the valleys of rivers and lakes.

(China Daily March 13, 2003)