Hebei's New Forestation Plan around Beijing

Ever since 2000, North China's Hebei Province has been promoting forestation to reduce the sand storms in Beijing. The 580,000 hectares of forest it planted around Beijing has fended off sand storms and conserved water resources for the drought-prone capital.

Now the province is mulling over an ambitious planting program with more than just environment benefits.

Our Chengcheng reports.

In the coming 10 years, Hebei plans to establish more than 680,000 hectares of trees in its fourteen counties surrounding Beijing. The plan will increase forest coverage to 49.5 percent.

Most of those counties are located upstream from Beijing, and serves as the main water sources for the capital.

However, they are plagued with soil erosion and water loss problems.

So the plan aims to improve the damaged ecosystems.

"The forestry practices are expected to bring benefits such as, improving air quality, conserving water and soil resources, and increase biodiversity."

That's Lu Hongshun. He's director of Hebei's Forestation Commission Office and is now in charge of the planting project.

He says Hebei also plans to build new flower and tree seedling nurseries, sanctuaries, and forest parks to improve its overall living environment.

It turns out the beautiful scenery is not only for locals.

It is set to draw potential Beijing residents so as to relieve the burdens of the capital-a natural step along the way towards Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei economic integration.

"The first thing is to improve your ecological environment so that residents and businesses would like to move here."

Director Lu hopes to see a rapid increase of people coming to live and work in a more beautiful Hebei, especially after the Beijing subway extends to Hebei in the next five years.

And that will result in positive economic impacts for Hebei.

Now, to start off, Zhao Yong, vice governor of Hebei, says 68,000 hectares of trees should be planted by the end of the year.

Director Lu says that will include various tree species, like poplar, willow, and pagoda trees.

"Trees planted in the mountains will be mainly local species, which are easy to take root; while, those cold-resistant species from south China are more suitable for introducion within parks and communities, since they would need tender care during winter."

For CRI, I'm Chengcheng.