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Mount Tai in east China's Shandong Province is one of the regions with highest biological diversity in the warm temperate zone in China.

An investigation, conducted by Shandong Agricultural University, Shandong Forest Supervision Institute and the Mount Tai Administration Committee, indicates that a diversified and stable forest ecological system has taken shape there.

The survey also said the eco-friendly Mount Tai has become a priority destination for many tourists.

Included in the list of the World's Natural and Cultural Heritage Sites designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1987, Mount Tai has a lush and diversified ecological system, including forests, thickets, meadows, and marshes.

"Mount Tai is trying to assume a higher profile in developing eco-friendly tourism," Wang Xiaonan, an official from the local administration committee, said.

One of the measures was a 30,000-square-metre Plum Blossom Garden built in the south range of Mount Tai last year, with various species of plum blossoms. Together with the Ancient Pine Garden in Houshiwu and the Bamboo Garden in the Zhulin Temple (Bamboo Forest Temple), the plum garden adds to the list of theme gardens on Mount Tai.

This practice of building botanic gardens also makes it possible for tourists to enjoy blossoms all year round.

Meanwhile, several travel routes were designed to help tourists enjoy the seasonal beauty of the mountain's lush vegetation, for example, yellow flowers in spring, and red leaves in autumn.

Mount Tai is something beyond a "geological museum." Its stable forest ecological system brings about huge economic returns every year. Experts have estimated that growing stock of Mount Tai has hit 580,000 cubic meters, meaning an annual ecological value of 482.2 million yuan (US$59.5 million).

"In recent years, ecological environment in Mount Tai has improved, thanks to many projects launched for ecological protection. The number of animal species is on the rise," said Han Hongmei, another official with the mountain's administration committee.

"Last December, we spread more than 200 kilograms of grains in the valleys to feed the birds," she added.

Heavy snow fell on Mount Tai four times this winter, making it difficult for the birds to find food.

Although the temperature on the top of the mountain is about minus 20 degrees centigrade at night, more than 20 species of birds stay there for the winter, including eagle, magpie, great tit, hoopoe and turtledove.

The mountain's administration committee also repaired worn-out nests and built new nests for the birds.

These measures help augment the number of bird and animal species annually. The number of bird species exceeds 152 at present.

Various species

According to the records, Mount Tai is home to 2,926 animal and plant species.

Higher plants in the mountain are of 189 families, 768 genera and 1,553 strains. Among its 1,373 species of wild fauna, there are 22 strains of the freshwater fish, 1,152 identified insects on land, six amphibians, 12 reptiles, 154 birds and 25 mammals.

A proof to thousands of years of ecological history, Mount Tai is also home to a great number of ancient plant species of great scientific and aesthetic value, nicknamed living fossils. The number of trees older than 100 years in age is 18,195, and they belong to 27 families and 45 strains.

(China Daily March 3, 2006)