world news - 20.05.2010
China cuts timber production to protect forest
Annual
timber output in the area since 2007 has been one-third less than the
approved level of 2.1 million cubic meters under natural forest
protection rules, said Zheng Xuehui, director of the planning and
statistics department under the Greater Hinggan Forestry Group. The
group reduced output by 350,000 cubic meters in the first four months
of the year. Between 2007 and 2009, the production was more than 2
million cubic meters under the allowed amount. "After
decades of over-felling, the quality of the forest is deteriorating,"
said Zheng. "If the practice continued, it would have a further
negative impact on the environment." The
Greater Hinggan Mountains, which has the largest virgin forest in
China, had 76.9 million cubic meters of wood resources, Zheng said.
See also:
- — Agreement halts timber harvest in large swaths of Canadian forest
- — More forest in Germany than in Sweden
- — Finnish forest owners increasingly interested in preserving biodiversity
- — Estonia to plant 10 million trees
- — Estonia to plant 10 million trees