Hunan has made new strides in advancing afforestation this spring, with the area of newly planted forests exceeding 2,681 square kilometers, according to the data of the Forestry Department of Hunan Province on June 25. Hunan tops nationwide in terms of vegetation area.

As of late May, China has completed afforestation of about 25676.7 square kilometers, achieving 64.32% of the annual target. Hunan planned to plant new forests of 4339.9 square kilometers this year, the largest in China, and has fulfilled 61.78% this spring.

According to the forestry authority, Hunan planted new forests of more than 666.7 square kilometers in 2022, with its vegetation area in the front rank in China. The forest coverage rate reached 59.98%. This spring, Hunan has given priority to restoring the degraded forests, creating man-made forests, and enhancing oil-tea camellia production. It has completed restoration of 1,234.5 square kilometers of degraded forest, ranking first nationwide; planted new forests of 1,109.3 square kilometers, ranking second in the country; and, added oil-tea camellia plantations and improved low-yield forest of 1,282.7 square kilometers in total, ranking first nationwide.

Hunan will continue to persist with a systematic approach to conserving and improving mountain, water, forest, farmland, grassland, and desert ecosystems. It will focus on closing hillsides to facilitate reforestation and restoring the degraded forests, while boosting afforestation in autumn and winter and rainy season in a scientific way, with the aim of achieving a high quality and high standard greening of the province. 

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Pang Yuehui

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn