Guizhou to build ecological pilot area

The Guizhou government signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA) on Nov 14 to build a pilot area for forestry and grassland reform in the Yangtze River economic belt.

According to the agreement, the NFGA will encourage Guizhou to carry out innovative experiments in 10 areas and ensure that the forest coverage rate of Guizhou reaches 60 percent by 2020.

By then, forest reserves in Guizhou are expected to reach over 471 million cubic meters and the added value of forestry is expected to have an average annual growth rate of 10 percent, which will help build a new ecological model in Guizhou.

Zhang Jianlong, administrator of the NFGA, acknowledged the achievements Guizhou has made in forestry, and confirmed that the NFGA will formulate relevant policies and provide technical guidance to support Guizhou in constructing the pilot area.

Guizhou will also launch supporting policies, arrange funds, carry out regular assessments of forestry and grassland development, and provide additional support to promote the construction of the pilot area.

Next, the NFGA and Guizhou will establish a high-level joint meeting system to share and discuss progress on the construction of the pilot area. Officials of both departments will have regular exchanges to enhance cooperation and share general information about the pilot area.

The NFGA and Guizhou will coordinate development and reform of finances, forestry, natural resources, and other departments to perfect policies and measurements related to the construction of forestry and grassland ecosystems.