Work to establish a national botanical garden has begun and the garden is expected to take shape in the Qinling Mountains area in northwest China's Shaanxi Province in five years' time, according to local forestry authorities.

 

 

The 458 square kilometer botanical garden is designed to well protect bio-diversity and restore ecological environment in the Qinling Mountains, a divide between north and south China, according to the Shaanxi Provincial Forestry Bureau.

 

The 910 million yuan (about US$117 million) botanical garden is located at the northern foot of the Qinling Mountains in the Zhouzhi County, about 70 kilometers from downtown Xi'an, the provincial capital.

 

The Qinling Mountains, which runs from west to east in the central part of China, is mainly located in Shaanxi Province and covers more than 50,000 square kilometers.

 

Investigations show that the mountain range is home to about 3,500 kinds of seed plants, over 600 kinds of vertebrates and more than 5,000 varieties of insects. The area is also home to many rare animals which are under state top-grade protection, such as giant pandas, golden monkeys, red ibis and antelopes.

 

The planned botanical garden also boasts beautiful natural scenery, such as canyons, waterfall and lava landscape. Thirteen rivers run through the garden.

 

The garden will be jointly established by the State Forestry Administration, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shaanxi Provincial government and Xi'an City government.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 21, 2006)