(Tianjin Daily)Recently, the reporter learned from Tianjin related authorities that forest of various sizes have replaced the former deserted views in Binhai areas after above 10years continuous hardwork since launching and implementing the first and second phases of costal protection forest system in Tianjin City. According to the statistics, Tianjin City have completed tree planting about 13,700 hektares in Binhai alkaline lands which is inappropriate to plant trees. The forest covering rate has increased from 2.6% in the beginning of 1993 to the current 6.4%. Some experts confirm after investigation that costal protection forest system in Tianjin City has achieved a certain scale and forest vegetation restoration and construction in Binhai areas have resumed and optimized partially the natural ecosystem functions. In addition, Tianjin leads the list in alkaline land forestation.

In order to improve environment around Binhai areas and to attract more investors, Tianjin City worked out, programmed and officially launched the first phase of costal protection forest system in 1993, and implemented the second phase in 2001. Since it is hard for the plants to survive in alkaline lands, Tianjin Municipal Government invests more funds and Binhai areas select good anti-alkaline seeds and adopt practical forestation technology according the local conditions, for example, ensuring project quality by selecting plants, such as ailanthus altissima, fraxinus, clone acacia, etc. with diameter at the breast height of more than 5 centimeters. In addition, Tianjin City constructs coastal protection forest system by broadly mobilizing social force. Tianjin Economic and Technological Development Area (TEDA) and Dagang Oilfield Group Co., Ltd. invest millions yuan in forestation each year, which set up examples and provide experiences for the high standard virescence in Binhai New Area, and play as a sample nationally. 15 commissions, offices and bureaus of Departments directly under the leadership of Tianjin City voluntarily plant trees in Binhai alkaline lands for many years and have built Guangang Forest Park with an area of 2000 hectares.

So far the costal protection forest system has finished 13,700 hectares of forestation and the forest covering rate has increased by 3.8% through implementing farmland shelterbelt network projects, virescence and beautification projects in ecological villages, green passage projects on both sides of main rivers, railways and roads, fruit trees base construction projects and backbone forest belts of costal protection forest and so on.