Xu Xinsheng, from Xining, the provincial capital of Qinghai, was
overjoyed when he heard the local government was going to create
more forests in the region.
"As a highland city, Xining has fewer trees than other cities in
eastern regions," the 71-year-old said, "the projects will give us
cleaner air."
Authorities in Xining will spend about 50 million yuan ($7
million) to develop more than 1,300 hectares of forest on
Da'nanshan Mountain in the southern suburb of the city.
They will also plant trees along 118 km of a road, construct two
ecological parks and revitalize barren regions on the mountain, He
Can, director of the city's garden and forest administration
bureau, said.
"Creating better living conditions for our residents is one of
our key jobs and we will continue our efforts to pursue our
ecological plans for the mountain," He said.
The Da'nanshan Mountain project plans to cover 105 sq km of the
highland with trees and grass. It will be carried out in two
phases, with the first, involving 48 sq km, scheduled for
completion this year.
"When the project started in 2005, we worried if such a large
project could be carried out properly," Gao Xiaoyan, another
resident, said.
"Now we see progress every year and the improvements to the
environment."
The local government is also paying attention to urban areas,
Wang Ping, deputy mayor of the city, said.
Twenty gardens and green spaces have been marked for development
this year, he said.
The green drive will also benefit wild animals in the province,
with the Qinghai Wildlife Rescue and Breeding Center completed by
the end of the year, officials have said.
The center, costing 120 million yuan, is being built both for
the protection of wild animals as well as for sightseeing.
"The center can both better protect the animals and promote
local residents' awareness of wild animal protection," Zheng Jie,
deputy director of Qinghai provincial forestry administration,
said.
(China Daily February 20, 2008)
