Guangzhou's greenery department planned to add 20,000 square meters of roof greenery this year to improve the environment and save land resources in old urban areas.

Experts investigated buildings along the city's main roads and found several hundred suitable for roof greenery.

The department is soliciting public opinion on the cost and methods of roof greenery.

The municipal government was considering a plan to have residents cover one-third of the cost with the rest to be paid by the municipal and district governments, the greenery department said.

Experts estimated the greenery cost 300 yuan (US$36) per square meter of roof area.

Three methods of roof greenery published by the Guangzhou Daily are being discussed.

One is to landscape gardens with mini versions of hills, bridges and pools. This method will provide a most attractive outlook but at a relatively high cost.

The second is to establish frameworks for climbing plants. The last is to simply display plants in pots or tubs.

Guangzhou already had more than 20,000 square meters of roof greenery, most of which was done by the residents.

The city government would select some buildings to try roof greenery this year and then promote successful examples to more areas, Guangzhou Mayor Zhang Guangning said at a forestry meeting earlier this year.

"Roof greenery provides a better environment for the residents," said a man surnamed Li.

"We planted grapes and some flowers on the roof, which then became an ideal place for neighbors to enjoy their spare time," he said.

But some residents were concerned about problems such as maintenance and safety.

(Shenzhen Daily March 2, 2005)