To say China's urban development has been rapid over the last decade, is probably as big an understatement as you could make. Wuhan, capital city of Central China's Hubei Province, is no exception, in the unrelenting drive of modernization.

But there's a significant difference -- not a single ancient tree has been ruined by the city's massive construction projects. With such a distinguished ecological record, Wuhan's tree protection methods are now being written into China's national standards.

The one hundred year old Gingko tree standing beside Wuhan 's Yangtze River Tunnel used to conflict with the pipelines of the project.

But the tree would not have survived if it had been moved.

After negotiations, the Yangtze River Tunnel project office decided to submerge the pipeline another three meters at a cost of 400,000 RMB so as to protect the ancient tree.

Ding Zhaoquan, director of Tree Ecology Center, Wuhan Lar Inst., said, "The contractor sent us a report asking to move the tree. But according to the Municipal Ancient Tree Protection Regulation, the tree had to be conserved in situ instead of being replanted. The contractor then revised their plan and saved the tree."

In the city's Hanyang District there is the famous Hanyang Tree, which is mentioned in an ancient poem, called Yellow Crane Tower . The district government built a 400 square meter yard to protect the 500-year old Gingko.

And in Hongshan District, a newly built residential building was actually pushed back 10 meters to make way for an ancient pine.

There are over 1,200 ancient trees in Wuhan. 126 of them are located in the downtown area. The city's Landscape Bureau has long established files on each tree. The measures seem to be working.

Xia Wensheng, director of ancient tree protection panel, said, "According to the regulation implemented in 2004, the city government allocates 1.8 million yuan annually for the preservation of ancient trees. Technicians were designated in each district with the responsibility of any necessary maintenance work. Not a single tree has been ruined in the past decade in Wuhan , except for damage caused by lightning."

Mr.Li Yuhe, the group leader of the National Ancient Tree Protection Expert Panel, visited Wuhan recently and praised Wuhan's efforts.

Li Yuhe, group leader of ancient tree protection panel, said, "Wuhan has done a lot to protect its ancient trees, including providing sufficient capital as well as technical and daily maintenance. The country is currently compiling its national standards on ancient tree protection. Some of Wuhan 's experience will certainly be written into these national standards."

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