The city government of Changchun, capital of northeastern China’s Jilin Province, has begun relocating 16,000 local residents to make way for a massive reforestation project.

The 51 work units located inside Jingyue Lake Forest Park, said to be the largest manmade forest in Asia, will also move elsewhere.

Changchun plans to invest 1.8 billion yuan (US$220 million) to plant some 4,240 hectares of trees in the area over the next eight years.

Located nine kilometers southeast of downtown Changchun, the state-level Jingyue Lake Forest Park contains nearly 100 square kilometers of cultivated forest and a clear water space of 4.3 square kilometers.

Local environmental experts said that the forest absorbs 10,000 tons of carbon dioxide and generates 5,880 tons of oxygen for Changchun annually.

The existing forest results from more than seven decades of construction and protection. But with the growing presence of human beings in recent years, the forested area has been dwindling and surface vegetation deteriorating. There have been repeated occurrences of plant diseases and insect infestations.

Upon completion of the project, the forest coverage rate in the park will rise to 58.5 percent from the current 37.4 percent.

The project was officially launched early this week.

Huang Wenhua, an official with the park management committee, said that a dozen state-level scenic zones in China planned reforestation projects to improve the environment and achieve sustained growth of ecological resources.

The Changchun city government is expected to build a new residential zone for the displaced citizens and provide them with services to start their own businesses or seek other job opportunities.

(Xinhua News Agency April 19, 2004)