More than 7 billion person-times of Chinese have so far taken part in the planting of over 35 billion trees since the national movement for voluntary tree planting was kicked off some 20 years ago.
The forest coverage of China has increased from 12 percent in the early 1980s to the current 16.55 percent; the green coverage of Chinese cities has been raised from 10.1percent in 1981 to 27.44 at present and public greenbelt area per capita from 3.45 to 6.52 square meters. The past 20 years has seen 15.4 million hectares of land planted with grasses or with the grasslands improved. No mountain area fit for tree planting can be found barren now in the 12 provinces and autonomous regions of Guangdong, Fujian, Hunan and Guangxi.
The national voluntary tree-planting movement has also promoted the development of afforestation in all social units and institutions such as transportation, water conservancy, civil aviation, farming and army which are now serving as the major participants in the movement.
Furthermore, the movement has promoted the construction of spiritual civilization among the people and helped them change the traditional habits and abandon some outmoded conventions and customs while being imbued with some new concepts through a series of activities.
(People’s Daily 03/12/2001)
