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Deforestation Banned in Yellow River Basin
Central China's Henan Province has issued a circular to stop logging natural forests on the middle reaches of the Yellow River, China's second longest, in a move to protect the local ecology.
Logging by commercial businesses and timber transportation services will be banned from March 1 in the area. In addition, large timber trade markets and wood-processing enterprises around the middle reaches of the river will also be closed by the deadline.
China started a 10-year program to protect natural forests in December last year, which involves a governmental investment of 96. 2 billion yuan (about US$11.6 million).
The program covers natural forests on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River, as well as the stretches of the Yellow River in Inner Mongolia and northeast China, involving 17 provinces and autonomous regions.
Forests in these areas are expected to increase by 8.6 million hectares, with the forest coverage rising from 17.5 percent now to 21.2 percent in 2010 under this program.
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