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South Korea to Invest 6 Million Dollars to Plant Trees in China
The Republic of Korea plans to fund China's tree-planting projects to the tune of 6 million US dollars over the next five years, according to China's State Administration of Forestry (SAF).
The first South Korea-funded project started Thursday, with the planting of trees along the Miyun Reservoir in Beijing's northeastern suburbs, which is the major source of Beijingers' drinking water.
The South Korean government will invest another 5 million US dollars in afforestation and environmental protection projects in west China, said Li Yucai, deputy director of the SAF.
The first three-year project planned 500 ha for trees to be planted on the hills around the reservoir with anti-soil erosion measures to be taken.
The project is funded with 1.87 million US dollars, of which 100 million US dollars came from South Korea and the rest from the Chinese government.
The areas around the reservoir have about 140,000 hectares of tree-covered slopes, with a coverage rate of 30.1 percent, while about 110,000 hectares still remain barren.
Debris flows caused by heavy rains frequently hit this area due to the severe soil erosion in these barren areas, the official said.
"The trees to be planted in the project will reserve 250,000 cubic meters of water and prevent 9,600 cubic meters of sand and soil from flowing into the reservoir," Li said.
South Korean Ambassador Hong Sun-yong took part in tree- planting function Thursday, with about 100 Koreans attended it. April 5 is the official Tree-planting Day in South Korea.
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