China’s forest area, stock volume increase over past 30 years

China’s forest area and forest stock volume have been increasing over the past 30 years. Between 2016 and 2020, the country planted 36 million hectares of forests, bringing the total forest area to 220 million hectares and the forest coverage rate to 23.04 percent, according to information given out at a conference held recently.

Aerial photo taken on June 2, 2021 shows the scenery of a national forest park in Yichun, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. (Xinhua/Xie Jianfei)

From 2000 to 2017, about 25 percent of the global gains of forest area came from China, making the country the largest contributor in this regard.

Over the past five years, China’s forest stock volume exceeded 17.5 billion cubic meters, and by 2030, the country plans to add 6 billion cubic meters of forest stock volume to the figure recorded in 2005.

Last year, the country planted 6.77 million hectares of forests, tended 8.37 million hectares of forests and improved the ecology of 2.83 million hectares of grassland.

With an increased forest area, better forest quality, and a larger volume of carbon sequestration, China is set to achieve the goal of peaking its carbon emissions and achieving carbon neutrality, and make greater contributions to protecting the global ecosystem.

Since China launched the Forest Cities Construction Project 18 years ago, the country has added a total of 194 cities to the State Forest City list. Furthermore, a number of townships and villages have been awarded the titles “State Forest Township” and “State Forest Village”.