China's largest forest wetland, the Dazhanhe Wetland Nature Reserve in China's northernmost Heilongjiang Province, has banned logging to protect the habitat of endangered bird species -- hooded cranes, local forestry department said.

Nine forestry centers in the nature reserve have stopped cutting trees to preserve the wetland's ecological system in which hooded cranes live and breed, said a senior official with the department.

Hooded cranes, or Grus Monacha, are on China's highest priority protection list, and fall under the 15 most endangered crane varieties in the world. Experts have confirmed the Dazhanhe Wetland Nature Reserve boasts the largest breeding place of hooded cranes in China.

Located in the upper reaches of the Dazhan River, the Dazhanhe Wetland Nature Reserve covers an area of 211,600 hectares, including some 110,000 hectares of forest wetland.

(Xinhua News Agency January 6, 2005)