Bird Island to Be Recovered From FarmlandThe Islamic International Trust and Investment Company in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region plans to invest 100 million yuan (about 12.04 million U.S. dollars) to rebuild an island habitat for birds on the upper reaches of the Yellow River.The three-year project will be carried out by turning farmland into forests, grassland, and water areas. The bird island, located at the Qingtong Gorge Reservoir on the upper reaches of the Yellow River, was formed in the 1960s by sand which had washed into the reservoir. Every year, the 3,133.3-hectare island attracted more than 300, 000 birds in 170 varieties. But in later years, birds were rarely seen on the island, where large areas of forest had been cut for timber and other land had been sewn with crops. This year, the investment company wants to turn 1.333 hectares of farmland into water areas, 800 hectares of farmland into grassland, and build 40 kilometers of roads. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/ |