A Beijing forestry official said yesterday the "green"
commitments made in 2001 during the city's Olympic bid had been all
but fulfilled.
In addition, landscaping work at stadiums across the capital was
progressing well.
Speaking on the eve of today's one-year countdown, Qiang Jian,
deputy director of the Beijing municipal gardening and forestation
bureau, told a news conference that thanks to the combined efforts
of the government and public over the past six years, seven of the
key targets to turn Beijing into a garden full of trees and flowers
had been achieved.
The key targets were to provide: 50 percent green cover in
Beijing's municipal areas; 70 percent cover in the mountain region;
40 percent cover downtown; three ecological protection screens
around the city; 23,000 hectares of greenbelt in suburban areas;
12,000 hectares of greenbelt in the downtown area; and at least 8
percent cover by natural reserves throughout the city.
"For 2008, the greenery target in the downtown area is 43
percent," Qiang said. "But it is highly possible that we will hit
that this year, despite the relatively scarce land resources."
Qiang said forestry authorities wanted to plant trees and grass
on "every available patch" of the city. Efforts included turning
roofs into gardens, and planting trees in parking lots and along
railways.
In addition, landscaping work at five of the city's 31 sporting
venues -- the Beijing Shooting Range Hall, Beijing Shooting Range
Clay Target Field, Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park, Chaoyang
Park Beach Volleyball Ground and Fengtai Softball Field -- was also
now complete, Qiang said.
Meanwhile, foresters are planting more trees in a bid to reduce
the risk of sandstorms next spring.
Cao Qingyao, spokesman for the State Forestry Administration,
said: "Sandstorms cannot be eliminated, but we hope to be able to
limit them."
(China Daily August 8, 2007)