China's non-public forestry develops by leaps and bounds and
69.3 percent of artificial forest areas belonged to individuals in
2002, says a newly released result of a nation-wide afforestation
inspection conducted by the State Forestry Bureau.
The inspection statistics also indicate that China forested a
total area of 132.158 million mu in 2002, with a survival
rate of 86.4 percent. Among the figures, artificial afforestation
accounted for 98.262 million mu, with a survival rate of
89 percent; the newly increased mountain area closed for forest
cultivation hit 22.506 million mu, with a survival rate of
90.6 percent; the forest planted by plane was 11.386 million
mu, with a 60 percent survival rate.
The favorable forestry policy issued by the State Forestry
Bureau has greatly stimulated initiatives in afforestation from all
walks of life. As a result, the ratio of individual-run forest
areas has increased year by year. The ratio hit 91.7 percent, 92.3
percent and 93 percent in Hunan, Chongqing and Shanghai
respectively, with a respective survival rate of 99.7 percent, 100
percent and 100 percent.
The inspection also shows that in 2002 China's major forest
projects produced a total of 109.992 million mu forest, or
83.2 percent of the country's total afforestation area. Natural
forest preservation areas reached 16.443 million mu,
land-to-forest projects produced a forest area of 63.99 million
mu, shelter-forests in northern, northwestern and
northeastern China hit 8.4 million mu and sandstorm
harnessing projects in Beijing and Tianjin produced a total forest
area of 12.736 million mu.
The inspection by the bureau covered a total random sampling
area of 8.69 million mu in 30 provinces and autonomous
regions.
(China.org.cn by Guo Xiaohong and Daragh Moller, December 17,
2003)