A Japanese government-financed project to curb soil erosion at the middle reaches of China's second largest river was launched Wednesday.

The project is the follow-up to a similar program carried out since the 1990s previously at the middle reaches valley of the Yellow River.

A total of 4,900 hectares of trees will be planted within five years in four counties in the northern province of Shanxi. The counties are located on the Loess Plateau where soil erosion is serious and worsening, resulting in massive sands washed and carried away into the Yellow River each year, making the river the muddiest one in the world.

The project also involves the construction of flood containment dams, reservoirs, management offices, meteorological facilities and soil erosion monitoring stations.

In addition, training programs on how to plant trees will be offered to forestry officials and farmer technicians in 1,968 villages.

Under the plan, the project area will become a model region to show achievements in comprehensive management of the ecological environment at the middle reaches of the Yellow River.

Since the 1990s, China and Japan have carried out a wide range of cooperative projects in ecological improvement and management. Some projects like planting trees with Japanese loans in Shanxi have proved successful and effective.

(Xinhua News Agency October 8, 2003)