As shown in the "statistics bulletin of the six key forestry projects 2003" released by the State Forestry Administration, China's six key forestry projects have produced a total forestation area of 8. 2628 million hectares in 2003, a year on year increase of 21.92 percent and accounting for 90.61 percent of total forestation area in China. Started in 1998, the six key projects have brought about a total of 20.0975 million hectares of forest, and total investment of 94.67 billion yuan have been made.

The project of natural forest resources protection saw smooth progress. The year saw completion of a forestation area of 688, 300 hectares; 613, 900 hectares of mountain area were newly sealed for forest; and another 2, 598, 000 hectares was put under care and maintenance. The project of converting farmland to forest and grassland went on smoothly. A total of 6, 840, 900 hectares of forest and 196, 900 hectares of grass were planted. The Beijing-Tianjin Sand Source Control Project has produced notable social and ecological effects.

In 2003, 275, 300 hectares were afforested in the fourth phase of the "three north forest shelterbelt program", of which 86.29 percent were shelterbelt. By the end of the year an actual area of 1, 164, 300 hectares of mountains were sealed for forests. 177, 300 hectares of mountains were newly sealed. A total of 854 million yuan were invested.

By People's Daily Online