China's non-public forestry develops by leaps and bounds and 69.3 percent of artificial forest areas belonged to individuals in 2002, says a newly released result of a nation-wide afforestation inspection conducted by the State Forestry Bureau.

The inspection statistics also indicate that China forested a total area of 132.158 million mu in 2002, with a survival rate of 86.4 percent. Among the figures, artificial afforestation accounted for 98.262 million mu, with a survival rate of 89 percent; the newly increased mountain area closed for forest cultivation hit 22.506 million mu, with a survival rate of 90.6 percent; the forest planted by plane was 11.386 million mu, with a 60 percent survival rate.

The favorable forestry policy issued by the State Forestry Bureau has greatly stimulated initiatives in afforestation from all walks of life. As a result, the ratio of individual-run forest areas has increased year by year. The ratio hit 91.7 percent, 92.3 percent and 93 percent in Hunan, Chongqing and Shanghai respectively, with a respective survival rate of 99.7 percent, 100 percent and 100 percent.

The inspection also shows that in 2002 China's major forest projects produced a total of 109.992 million mu forest, or 83.2 percent of the country's total afforestation area. Natural forest preservation areas reached 16.443 million mu, land-to-forest projects produced a forest area of 63.99 million mu, shelter-forests in northern, northwestern and northeastern China hit 8.4 million mu and sandstorm harnessing projects in Beijing and Tianjin produced a total forest area of 12.736 million mu.

The inspection by the bureau covered a total random sampling area of 8.69 million mu in 30 provinces and autonomous regions.

(China.org.cn by Guo Xiaohong and Daragh Moller, December 17, 2003)