2.1 Forest Resources
2.2 Afforestation and Greening
2.3 Development of Ecological Forestry Programmes
2.4 Forest Protection
2.5 Conservation of Biodiversity of Forests and Wetlands
2.6 Demand, Supply and Trade of Forest Products
2.7 Forest Products Industry
2.8 Development and Utilization of Non-wood Forest Products
2.9 Woody Energy and Fuelwood
2.10 Services provided by forests
2.11 Forestry Science, Technology and Education
2.12 Forestry Institutions and Forestry Policies
2.1.1 The Status Quo of Forest Resources
2.1.2 Development Trend of Forest Resources
The Chinese government attaches great importance to forest resource management. Four nation-wide forest resource inventories were carried out between 1949 and 1993. The last resource inventory was completed between 1989 and 1993. During the Fourth National Forest Resources Inventory, a total of 227,244 ground sample plots were surveyed and another 106,320 sample plots were studied through interpretation by satellite images and aerial photos. Resource inventories were carried out throughout the country except the large stretches of deserts, Gobi, pasture, and high mountains above the timber line. The total area surveyed were 5.7805 million square kilometers, accounting for 61.2% of the country's total land area. Some 15,000 people participated the Fourth National Forest Resources Inventory, the State allocated special funds for this undertaking, and local governments and forestry authorities rendered great support in all aspects of man power, material supply and financial assistance which guaranteed the reliability and authority of the inventory findings.
The findings of the Fourth National Forest Resources Inventory (1989-1993) published by the Ministry of Forestry in 1994 reveal that out of China's total area of 960.2716 million hectares, land for forestry use was 262.8885 million hectares (27.38%). The total actual forest area was 133.7035 million hectares with a forest cover of 13.92%. Of all China's forest resources, the total growing stock in China was 11.736 billion cubic meters and the growing stock in forests was 10.137 billion cubic meters.
2.1.1.1 Land Resource for Forestry
Of China's total 256.774 million hectares of land available for forestry (excluding the forest resources of Taiwan Province and that beyond Tibet control line, the same situation hereinafter), 128.5278 million hectares or 50.06% are forested land, 18.0257 million hectares or 7.02% open woodland, 29.7063 million hectares or 1.57% shrub land, 7.1383 million hectares or 2.78% young plantations, 0.1149 million hectares or 0.04% nursery, and 73.261 million hectares or 28.53% wild land.
Table 1 - Land Area by Category Unit: million hectares
|
Category
|
Forest land |
of which: Economic forest land |
of which: Bamboo forest land |
|||
|
Area |
% |
Area |
% |
Area |
% |
|
|
State Ownership |
58.1986 |
45.28 |
1.6035 |
9.96 |
0.2626 |
6.93 |
|
Collective Ownership |
70.3292 |
54.72 |
14.4953 |
90.04 |
3.5282 |
93.07 |
|
Total |
128.5278 |
100 |
16.0988 |
100 |
3.7908 |
100 |
Source: Forestry Yearbook of China, 1994.
Of the Forested land area, 108.6382 million hectares or 84.52% are natural forests, 16.0988 million hectares or 12.53% are economic forests, and 3.7908 million hectares or 2.95% bamboo forests (see Table 1).
Of the wild land (73.2597 million ha), 63.0253 million hectares or 86.03% are to be afforested, 2.7568 million hectares or 3.76% are the logged areas, 0.9128 million hectares or 1.25% the burnt-over area, and 6.5661 million hectares or 8.96% desertified wasteland suitable for forestry purposes.
2.1.1.2 Forest Tree Resources
The total standing stock volume in China is 10,735.6532 million cubic meters (excluding the forest resources of Taiwan Province and that beyond Tibet control line), of which 9,087.1671 million cubic meters or 84.64% are stock volume in forests, 544.9017 million cubic meters or 5.08% are stock volume in open woodland, 771.4424 million cubic meters or 7.19% are stock volume of single trees, and 332.142 million cubic meters or 3.09% are stock volume of "four-side" plantings.
2.1.1.3 Forest Resources by Ownership
The State forest covers 58.1986 million hectares or 45.28%; the collective forest covers 70.3292 million hectares or 54.72%. Among the total area of economic forests, 1.6035 million hectares are State owned, and 14.4953 million hectares or 90.04% fall under the collective ownership. The total area of the bamboo forest is also dominated by collective forests covering 3.5282 million hectares or 93.07%.
As far as the stocking volume is concerned, the total standing stock volume of the State forests amounts to 7,514.0373 million cubic meters or 69.99%, and the collective forests is 3,221.6159 million cubic meters; the stock volume of state forests is 6,705.574 million cubic meters or 73.79%, and the collective forest 2,381.5931 million cubic meters or 26.1% (see Table 2).
Table 2 - Stock Volume by Type of Forest Land Unit: million cubic meters
|
type
|
standing stock volume |
forest stock volume |
||
|
quantity |
% |
quantity |
% |
|
|
State ownership |
7,514.0373 |
69.99 |
6,705.5740 |
73.79 |
|
Collective ownership |
3,221.6159 |
30.01 |
2,381.5931 |
26.21 |
|
Total |
10,735.6530 |
100 |
9.087.1671 |
100 |
Source: Forestry Yearbook of China, 1994.
2.1.1.4 Increment and Consumption of Forest Resources
Comparison of the total increment and consumption of the standing stock volume reveals that the annual average net growth is 419.1235 million cubic meters with a net rate of increment of 3.98%; the annual average net consumption is 319.9237 million cubic meters with a net rate of consumption of 3.04%; and the annual average dead and loss rate is 55.9143 million cubic meters with a rate of 0.53%. The corresponding data for the volume growth and consumption of timber forests are respectively 219.9634 million cubic meters or 3.78%; 199.7943 million cubic meters or 3.43%; and 42.0686 million cubic meters or 0.72%.
2.1.1.5 Forest Category
As far as forest type is concerned, the area and stocking volume of the timber forest are respectively 84.9286 million hectares and 6,743.3869 million cubic meters accounting for 78.18% and 74.2% of the total. The corresponding data for other forest types are respectively: 16.0729 million hectares and 1,777.977 million cubic meters or 14.70% and 19.57% for the protective forest, 4.2886 million hectares and 69.1674 million cubic meters or 3.95% and 0.76% for the fuelwood forest, and 3.3481 million hectares and 496.6358 million cubic meters or 3.08% and 5.47% for the special purpose forest (see Table 3).
With regard to the age class, the young forest covers an area of 41.3331 million hectares or 38.05% of the total with a stocking volume of 1,023.1764 million cubic meters accounting for 11.26%. The corresponding data for other age classes are respectively: 36.1.314, 33.26%, 2,660.342, 29.28% for the middle age forest; 11.061, 10.18%, 1,221.4214, 13.44% for the nearly matured forest, 12.6886, 11.68%, 203.7089, 24.25% for the mature forest; and 7.4221, 6.835, 1 978.5184, 21.77% for the overmatured forest (see Table 4).
Table 3 - Forest Type Statistics by Area and Stocking Volume Unit: million hectares, million cubic meters
|
Forest type |
Area |
% |
Stocking volume |
% |
|
timber forest |
84.9286 |
78.18 |
6,743.3869 |
74.20 |
|
protective forest |
16.0729 |
14.79 |
1,777.9770 |
19.57 |
|
fuelwood forest |
4.2886 |
3.95 |
69.1674 |
0.76 |
|
special purpose forest |
3.3481 |
3.08 |
496.6300 |
5.47 |
|
Total |
108.6382 |
100 |
9,087.1613 |
100 |
Source: Forestry Yearbook of China, 1994.
Table 4 - Age Class Statistics by Area and Stocking Volume Unit: million hectares, million cubic meters
|
Age class |
Area |
% |
Stocking volume |
% |
|
young forest |
41.3331 |
38.05 |
1,023.1764 |
11.26 |
|
middle age forest |
36.1314 |
33.26 |
2,660.3420 |
29.28 |
|
nearly matured forest |
11.0610 |
10.18 |
1,221.4214 |
13.44 |
|
mature forest |
12.6886 |
11.68 |
2,203.7089 |
24.25 |
|
over matured forest |
7.4241 |
6.83 |
1,978.5184 |
21.77 |
|
Total |
108.6382 |
100 |
9,087.1671 |
100 |
Source: Forestry Yearbook of China, 1994.
Table 5 - Area and Stocking Volume of the Broad-leaved and Coniferous Forests, Unit: million hectares, million cubic meters
|
Item |
Area |
% |
Stocking volume |
% |
|
coniferous forest |
55.0326 |
50.66 |
5,112.1593 |
56.26 |
|
broad-leaved forest |
53.6056 |
49.34 |
3,975.0078 |
43.74 |
|
Total |
108.6382 |
100 |
9,087.1671 |
100 |
Source: Forestry Yearbook of China, 1994.
Table 6 - Area and Stocking Volume of the Timber Forest by Age Class, Unit: million hectares, million cubic meters
|
Age class |
Area |
% |
Stocking volume |
% |
|
young forest |
32.4815 |
38.24 |
831.0657 |
12.32 |
|
middle age forest |
30.6148 |
36.05 |
2,212.1848 |
32.81 |
|
nearly matured forest |
8.3449 |
9.83 |
907.6417 |
13.46 |
|
mature forest |
8.4964 |
10.00 |
1,401.3095 |
20.78 |
|
over matured forest |
4.9910 |
5.88 |
1,391.1852 |
20.63 |
|
Total |
84.9286 |
100 |
6,743.3869 |
100 |
Source: Forestry Yearbook of China, 1994.
Table 7 - Area, Stock Volume and Percentage of Each Category of Native Forests, Unit: million hectares, million cubic meters
|
Forest type |
Area |
% native |
Stocking volume |
% native |
|
timber forest |
67.4100 |
79.40 |
6,165.0384 |
91.4 |
|
protective forest |
13.0037 |
80.9 |
1,657.7184 |
93.2 |
|
fuelwood forest |
3.6826 |
85.9 |
65.3986 |
94.6 |
|
special purpose forest |
3.1691 |
94.7 |
487.0321 |
98.1 |
|
Total |
87.2654 |
- |
8,375.1875 |
- |
Source: Forestry Yearbook of China, 1994.
The coniferous and the broad-leaved forests covers 55.0326 million hectares or 50.66% and 53.6056 million hectares or 49.34% with a respective stocking volume of 5,112.1593 million cubic meters or 56.26% and 3,975.0078 million cubic meters or 43.74% (see Table 5).
2.1.1.6 Plantations
The area of established plantations totals 34.2515 million hectares in China accounting for 26.65% of its total forested land area. Of this, forests for timber production, protection, fuelwood and special purposes total 21.3728 million hectares or 62.4% of the total plantation; the economic plantations cover 111.8296 million hectares or 35.54%; the bamboo forest 1.0491 million hectares or 3.06%; and the under established plantations cover 7.1883 million hectares.
2.1.1.7 Harvestible Forest Resources
The harvestible forest resources are further declining in China and inventory results show that both the area and stocking volume of the matured timber forests continue to shrink. In the period between the latest two inventories, its area declined by 709,000 hectares with an annual drop of 271,000 hectares or 1.56%; its stocking volume decreased by 253.3721 million cubic meters with an annual drop of 54.7317 million hectares or 1.41%. Meanwhile, resources of the matured timber forest are unevenly distributed with the majority of stands being in the remote and steep mountainous areas with difficult access. In addition, large areas of such forests grow along the upper reaches of big rivers. In consideration of their important protective roles, exploitation and utilization shall be very difficult.
Table 8 - Area of All Types of Economic Forests, Unit: hectare; %
|
Forest types |
Area |
Percentage |
|
oil production plantation |
6,058,900 |
37.64 |
|
special economic forests |
1,334,000 |
8.29 |
|
fruit trees |
5,296,100 |
32.90 |
|
other economic forests |
3.408,800 |
21.17 |
|
Total |
16,097,800 |
100 |
Source: Forestry Yearbook of China, 1994.
Table 9 - Diameter Class Distribution of Nearly Matured, Mature and Overmatured Forests, Unit: million cubic meters; million trees; %
|
Diameter class
|
Stocking volume |
Number of trees |
||
|
Volume |
% |
No. of trees |
% |
|
|
small diameter (6.0-12.0 cm) |
411.4731 |
11.12 |
104.1802 |
57.43 |
|
medium diameter (14.0-24.0 cm) |
811.5443 |
21.93 |
54.6358 |
30.12 |
|
large diameter (26.0-36.0 cm) |
808.6872 |
2.86 |
15.0235 |
8.28 |
|
extremely large diameter (over 38 cm) |
1,668.4318 |
45.09 |
7.5613 |
4.17 |
|
Total |
3,700.1364 |
100 |
181.4008 |
100 |
Source: Forestry Yearbook of China, 1994.
Table 10 - Forest Resources Distribution by Region, Unit: million hectares; million cubic meters; %
|
Region |
Standing stock volume |
Forest area |
Forest stand stocking volume |
Timber forest stocking volume |
||||
|
Volume |
% |
Area |
% |
Volume |
% |
Volume |
% |
|
|
north-east/Inner Mongolia (4 prov.) |
3,476.4732 |
42.7 |
36.5746 |
28.5 |
3,002.6898 |
33.1 |
2,683.7962 |
39.8 |
|
Sichuan and Yunnan |
222.8439 |
2.7 |
20.9360 |
16.3 |
2,410.5927 |
26.5 |
1,398.7955 |
20.7 |
|
collective forests in 10 southern prov. |
1,826.6227 |
22.4 |
46.6432 |
36.3 |
1,457.6952 |
16.0 |
1,225.9040 |
18.2 |
|
Tibet except areas outside control line |
1,262.0614 |
15.5 |
3.9637 |
3.1 |
1,231.0584 |
13.6 |
878.3316 |
13.0 |
|
other provinces/ municipalities |
1,347.6520 |
16.6 |
20.4103 |
15.9 |
985.1310 |
10.8 |
556.5596 |
8.3 |
|
Total |
8,135.6532 |
100 |
128.5278 |
100 |
9,087.1671 |
100 |
6,743.3869 |
100 |
Source: Forestry Yearbook of China, 1994.
The gap between demand and supply will become increasingly larger. The total social production and market demand projection indicates that, by the year 2000, the total timber demand will be 205 million cubic meters. The average per capita consumption of timber is 0.68 cubic meters in the world, over 1 cubic meter in the United States and the Russian Federation, 6 cubic meters in Sweden, and merely 0.12 cubic meters in China (see Table 11). According to projections, the average per capita timber consumption in China will maintain the current level by the end of this century.
Table 11 - Major Indexes on the Forest Resources in Selected Countries
|
Country |
Land area |
Forest Area |
Volume |
Forest cover |
Population |
Per capita forest |
Per capita volume |
|
China |
9,600 |
133.700 |
11.785 |
13.92 |
1,133.7 |
0.12 |
10.39 |
|
U.S.A. |
9,363 |
226.454 |
20.100 |
32 |
249.2 |
0.84 |
80.66 |
|
Japan |
377 |
23.889 |
2.860 |
67 |
123.5 |
0.20 |
23.16 |
|
Canada |
9,922 |
264.100 |
23.000 |
28 |
26.5 |
9.32 |
867.92 |
|
Sweden |
412.3 |
24.400 |
2.288 |
59 |
8.3 |
2.85 |
275.66 |
|
Finland |
337 |
19.885 |
1.445 |
65 |
5.0 |
4.03 |
289.00 |
|
Norway |
324 |
7.635 |
0.512 |
25 |
4.2 |
2.05 |
121.90 |
|
Brazil |
8,512 |
518.335 |
58.445 |
61 |
150.4 |
3.06 |
388.60 |
|
Indonesia |
1,904 |
118.813 |
8.300 |
65 |
180.5 |
0.78 |
45.98 |
Source: Forestry Yearbook of China, 1994.
There are large areas of plantable forest land in China awaiting for development and utilization. Statistics show that the total afforestable land in China amounts to 63.03 million hectares, of which 14.09 million hectares are suitable for establishment of timber plantations of which 4.84 million hectares are suitable for establishment of fast growing and high yield timber plantations.
By early next century, forest resource development will occur in the following five fields: expansion of forest area and increase in the quantity and quality of the forest resources; improvement of the age structure, forest category and species composition; improvement of the productivity and rate of utilization of the forest land; mitigating in a phased way the conflicts between timber demand and supply and solving the problem of fuel shortage in rural areas to meet the need of the national economic development for timber; so as to establish a multi-strata, multi-functional forest resource system with sound regional layout and high productivity. The planned targets are:
· Wild land and wasteland will be eliminated in 21 provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities by 2000, in the whole country at large by 2010;· By 2000, the forest cover in China will increase from 14% in 1994 to 15-16%, timber forest area 99.92 million hectares, and fuelwood forest area 5.69 million hectares; and by 2010, the forest cover will reach about 17%, timber forest area 107.8 million hectares, and fuelwood forest area 7.66 million hectares; and
· By 2000, the total timber production will reach 130.87 million cubic meters.
· Resource Development: 20 large stretches and 5 small patches of timber plantation bases will be established over the whole country, making the total area of newly established and already existing timber forests reach 40.35 million hectares will be established in China, of which 14 stretches covering 15.78 million hectares in 254 counties will be established in southern China and 6 stretches covering 23.6 million hectares in 82 State forestry bureaux and 306 State forest farms in northern China. By 2000, 7.98 million hectares of fast growing and high yield timber plantation will be established in selected localities with good site conditions and easy access. Integration of new plantings with tending of young and middle aged stands, and regeneration with transformation of low yield forests shall be promoted to speed up the development of potential forest resources. As far as species arrangement is concerned, priority will be given to species with short rotation and producing small and medium diameter roundwood while a certain proportion will be the large diameter and valuable species so as to generate short term, mid-term and long term benefits.
· Tending of young and middle aged stands: The objective is to adjust the composition of forest stands, increase forest growth and improve stand quality. It is planned to complete tending of 16.66 million hectares during the Ninth Five-Year Plan period and 30 million hectares between 2000 and 2010.
· Mountain closure: Mountain closure activities will be carried out to increase the forest resources. Special efforts will be made to strengthen project-type mountain closure undertakings, and solve properly the conflicts between mountain closure and local grazing and fuel consumption.
· Tending and Transformation of secondary growth: Efforts will be made to gradually adjust the species composition, enhance management and improve quality so as to achieve the goal of high yield, high quality and high efficiency.
· Development of the bamboo resources: Priority will be given to tending supplemented by planting activities to expand the bamboo resources and increase their production. Between 1996 and 2010, 14 large stretches of oriented bamboo forest bases will be established in 126 counties of which 1.93 million hectares will be either planted or transformed during the Ninth Five-Year Plan period.
2.2.1 Development of Timber Plantations
2.2.2 National Compulsory Tree Planting Campaign
Establishment of fast growing and high yield plantations and development of timber plantations is a strategic approach in China's forestry development. As early as in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Ministry of Forestry put forward the guideline for establishment of timber plantations: that timber plantations should be established in selected bases and managed by forest farms for high timber yield; 240 stretches of timber plantation bases were planned. Due to the interference of the subsequent Great Leap Forward in 1958 and the Cultural Revolution, the plan was not implemented.
In the mid-1970s, it was proposed to establish fast growing and high yield timber plantation bases mainly with Cunninghamia lanceolata in southern China with support of special funds from the State government and, by 1980, 3.2 million hectares had been recorded in statistics. On March 5, 1980, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council promulgated the Directive on Vigorously Carrying out Tree-planting and Afforestation Activities which states that in order to speed up forestry development in China and mitigate as soon as possible shortage in supply of timber and economic forest products, all local authorities shall select favourable sites and suitable tree species for establishment of fast growing and high yield timber plantations, and guarantee monetary and material supply for integrated management. In a bid to obtain experience to guide the national undertaking for establishment of fast growing and high yield plantations, the Ministry of Forestry set up, in succession, joint trial plots with provincial/autonomous region authorities in 111 counties and 106 State forest farms in 20 provinces/autonomous regions. By the end of 1986, over 100,000 hectares of such trial plantations had been established with major species including Cunninghamia lanceolata. Eucalyptus, Populus and Pinus elliottii. Meanwhile, many provinces/autonomous regions started to establish fast growing and high yield plantations and over 1.5 million hectares of such plantations have been established throughout China as per incomplete statistics.
Survey results of a few years in the trial plantations provided practical growth data according to which China has preliminarily worked out criteria for timber yield for major fast growing and high yield species. For instance, the annual average increment is over 10.5 cubic meters per hectare for a 20-year-old Chinese fir stand, 15 cubic meters per hectare for 15-year-old Buxus microphylla, and over 22.5 cubic meters per hectare for 10-year-old Poplar clone 1-72. These indexes, although still low compared to those in the developed countries, are much higher than the growth of the existing plantations and fit in with the current technical and management level in China.
Table 12 - National Statistics on Area of Afforestation by the State*, Unit: 1,000 hectares
|
Year |
State afforestation area |
Year |
State afforestation area |
|
1949-1952 |
138.2 |
1975 |
944.8 |
|
1953 |
27.4 |
1976 |
948.5 |
|
1954 |
65.9 |
1977 |
802.1 |
|
1955 |
113.4 |
1978 |
728.4 |
|
1956 |
249.0 |
1979 |
831.2 |
|
1957 |
1989 |
1980 |
684.4 |
|
1958 |
440.0 |
1981 |
571.3 |
|
1959 |
630.5 |
1982 |
498.7 |
|
1960 |
751.3 |
1983 |
644.9 |
|
1961 |
322.3 |
1984 |
698.3 |
|
1962 |
262.7 |
1985 |
770.6 |
|
1963 |
292.8 |
1986 |
477.6 |
|
1964 |
508.3 |
1993 |
5,932.9 |
|
1965 |
660.7 |
1994 |
6,022.6 |
|
1966 |
781.6 |
1949-1952 |
138.2 |
|
1967 |
633.2 |
1953-1957 |
654.7 |
|
1968 |
519.9 |
1958-1962 |
2,306.8 |
|
1969 |
565.1 |
1963-1865 |
1,461.8 |
|
1970 |
505.4 |
1966-1970 |
3,005.2 |
|
1971 |
718.0 |
1971-1975 |
4,665.9 |
|
1972 |
1,032.3 |
1976-1980 |
3,994.6 |
|
1973 |
1,067.5 |
1981-1985 |
3,250.7 |
|
1974 |
903.3 |
1949-1986 |
20,055.4 |
* The figures in this Table only refer to new area planted except where cumulative totals are given.
Source: Forestry Yearbook of China, 1949-1986, 1993, 1994.
As per statistics, the area of timber plantation established between 1980 and 1987 was 28.92 million hectares accounting for 33.5% of the total plantation area established since 1949, of which 3.83 million hectares were fast growing and high yield timber plantations accounting for 13.2% of the total area of timber plantation in this period. Between 1988 and 1992, 16.17 million hectares of timber plantations were established of which 2.5 million hectares were fast growing and high yield timber plantations making up 15% of the total timber plantations in this period. In recent years, the area of fast growing and high yield timber plantations has been increased by 0.5 million hectares each year and the actual area of established timber plantations was 34.5 million hectares in 1994 in China.
In the light of the emerging issues and problems challenging timber plantation development in the new era, especially the development of fast growing and high yield timber plantations, the Department of Silviculture and Forest Management of the Ministry of Forestry carried out an overall survey and review of the national development of fast growing and high yield plantations in 1994. The findings show that, since the State Council's consent and the State Planning Commission's approval of the plan to establish fast growing and high yield timber plantation bases of 6.7 million hectares, over 3.446 million hectares of such plantations (2.871 million hectares newly planted, 0.161 million hectares improved young stands and 0.414 million hectares regenerated plantations) or 43% of the planed area had been established by year 1994 nation-wide with a stock volume of 45.819 million cubic meters and an annual growth of 10.17 million cubic meters. As far as species is concerned, conifers dominate China's fast growing and high yield timber plantations accounting for 76%, of which Cunninghamia lanceolata makes up 46% and pine species 30%.
In 1994, the national afforestation area for timber plantations totalled 2.504 million hectares making up 41.8% of the State's total afforestation area of that year but 11% less than the timber plantation area established in 1993, of which 0.463 million hectares were fast growing and high yield timber plantations, 8.32% less than that of 1993.
In order to secure the smooth development of timber plantations, the State has utilized the following channels to guarantee financing needed for timber plantation development:
· Investment under the State planning. In recent years, the Ministry of Forestry has allocated RMB 20-30 million yuan to support the joint establishment of fast growing and high yield plantations by the Ministry and provinces. Between 1980-1986, RMB 83 million yuan was invested and 100,000 hectares planted.· Local investment. Some provinces/autonomous regions and counties allocate funds every year from the local finance to establish timber plantations. For instance, in Guangdong Province, the provincial Finance Department has allocated RMB 12.91 million yuan each year in recent years for establishment of plantation bases; in Hubei Province, RMB 13 million yuan (5 million from the provincial Planning Commission and 8 million from the provincial Finance Department) were allocated between 1980-1985 for fast growing and high yield plantations.
· Forestry loans from State banks. In recent years, many provinces and counties have allocated from agricultural loans a certain amount of fund as forestry loans, and the forestry sector pays interests by using the regeneration funds of collective forests and the afforestation subsidies from the State. This practice has been adopted in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Liaoning and Hubei. Guangdong Province releases RMB 10 million yuan of forestry loans each year and Hubei Province has released RMB 20 million yuan of discount forestry loans every year from 1984. Since 1986, the State has decided to release discount loans worth RMB 300 million yuan for forestry projects of which 42% is for establishment of high yield plantations.
· Collection of refundable levies for regeneration funds. In Fujian Province, 20-50% of the log price is deducted by the forestry sector as regeneration fund which will be returned to the payers after regeneration is completed. In Sanming Prefecture, where such practice has proved successful, 80% of the afforestation financing is provided by production units from their log sales. In Chongyi County of Jiangxi Province, RMB 10 yuan per cubic meter is deducted from the log sales as the regeneration fund of the forest owner which is deposited in a special bank account and managed by the county Forestry Station for silvicultural purposes. Misappropriation is forbidden. Since such a system is adopted, about RMB 1.2-1.5 million yuan can be withdrawn every year as silvicultural fund.
· Investment by the timber demanding sectors. Since 1980s, some timber demanding regions or sectors have undertaken joint afforestation activities with rural collectives by means of compensation trade or joint forest farm ventures. In most cases, the timber demanding sector provides investment and techniques while the rural collective contributes labour; the timber thus produced shall supply mainly the investor. This is a mutually beneficial practice which not only can supply timber for the demanding sector, but also helps farmers to vitalize forestry and become rich.
In order to boost State investment, the World Bank Forestry Development Project (Credit 605-CHA) was introduced in 1985. This project aimed to support mainly the 92 State forest farms in Guangdong, Sichuan and Heilongjiang to establish and transform commercial timber plantations, construct forest roads and procure accessory equipment. Implementation of this project not only demonstrates the ability of State forest farms in project implementation but also provides a good opportunity for the Ministry of Forestry to accumulate experience in management of multi-provincial involvement in projects of the International Development Association.
In June, 1988, the Chinese government requested the World Bank to provide financing and cooperation to introduce advanced techniques for establishment of fast growing and high yield timber plantations in 16 provinces/autonomous regions. The scale of afforestation in the first phase of the project is 985,000 hectares with a total investment of RMB 2,357 million yuan of which the World Bank loan is US$ 300 million. In 1989, the State Planning Commission, in its document coded Nongjing (1989) No. 245, approved the Proposal of the Ministry of Forestry Concerning the First Phase of the Project to Establish 6.7 Million Hectares of Fast Growing and High Yield Plantation Bases by Using the World Bank Loan and Domestic Counterpart Funds. In May, 1990, technical negotiations were conducted between the two sides and consensus was reached. On May 29, 1990, the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank approved the on-going China National Afforestation Project (CR. 2145-CHA). In December 1991, the Ministry of Forestry submitted to the World Bank, in accordance with the comments and recommendations of the World Bank experts, the Proposal for the Forest Resources Development and Protection Project (FRDPP). The Ministry of forestry compiled the Feasibility Study of the Forest Resources Development and Protection Project and submitted in February 1994 to the State Planning Commission for approval. The scale of FRDPP is 900,000 hectares with a project duration of 6 years (including 2 years for tending of young stands) and a total investment of RMB 2,900 million yuan of which the World Bank loan is US$ 200 million. It is proven that establishment of fast growing and high yield timber plantations is a practical and strategic measure to build up forest resources, reduce from resource and economic crises, mitigate the mismatch between wood demand and supply, maintain and improve ecosystems and the environment at large.
The overall objective for development of timber plantations in China takes the existing forest regions and key forestry counties as the basis, gives priority to regeneration, transformation and improvement of the existing low quality stands, integrates regeneration with tending of young and middle age stands, adopts approaches of intensive and oriented management. Areas with favourable site conditions are selected to be the fast growing and high yield timber plantations. The overall scale as per planning shall be 40.35 million hectares of timber plantations, of which 27.66 million hectares are fast growing and high yield timber plantations. The new fast growing and high yield timber plantation development programme will be implemented in 3 periods:
· During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period (1996-2000), 3.34 million hectares are planned of which new plantations shall be 1.55 million hectares, cultivation of young and middle age stands 1.13 million hectares, regeneration of logged sites 0.66 million hectares;· Between 2001 and 2010, 6.39 million hectares are planned, of which new fast growing and high yield timber plantations shall be 3.45 million hectares, transformation of the existing forests into fast growing and high yield plantations be 1.06 million hectares, and cultivation of young and middle aged stands for fast growing and high yield plantations be 1.88 million hectares;
· Between 2011-2050, 13.29 million hectares are planned.
As far as regional distribution is concerned, the existing plantations will be considered as the basis for development. Afforestation activities will be carried out in eastern and southern China from the Great and Minor Xing'an mountains to Fujian and Guizhou provinces with priority given to the collective forest regions in southern China where water and sunshine are abundant for the development of fast growing and high yield timber plantations while moderate consideration shall be given to north-east China and the Altay Region in Xinjiang. Class I and II forest land with favourable site conditions and easy access will be selected in the 20 large stretches and 5 small patches of timber bases to adopt focused and intensive management to supply the State, within a short time period, with large volume of timber. By 2000, the overall distribution of the proposed 7.98 million hectares of fast growing and high yield timber plantations will be that, by management unit, 6.67 million hectares or 83.6% shall be established in 292 plantation base counties and 905 State forest farms, and 1.31 million hectares or 16.4% by 82 forest industrial enterprises.
On December 13, 1981, the Fourth Session of the Fifth National People's Congress adopted the Resolution on National Compulsory Tree Planting Campaign which states that "afforestation and territory greening is a holy undertaking for socialist development and benefits of future generations, and also a major strategic measure to harness rivers and mountains, and safeguard and improve the environment. In order to speed up the realization of the great goal of greening our motherland, promote the good Chinese tradition of tree planting and forest loving, and further set up the morality and custom of collectivism and communism, the Session decides to carry out a national compulsory tree planting campaign". It further states that "wherever possible, each and every Chinese citizen, 11 years old and over, excluding the old, weak, sick and disabled, should plant 3-5 trees per year in the light of the specific local conditions, or accomplish equivalent amount of work in seedling production, forest management and protection and other greening activities".
The Fourth Session of the Fifth National People's Congress urged the State Council to formulate, as per the spirit of the Resolution, the Regulations for Implementation of the National compulsory Tree Planting Campaign which states that " every citizen of the People's Republic of China, 11-60 for male and 11-55 for female, except those who have lost ability to work, shall undertake the commitment of compulsory tree planting and all working units should report the actual number of employees to the local greening committee as a basis for allocation of workload," and that " for youngsters between 11 and 17 years old, physical labour shall be arranged nearby in light of their practical conditions". And it further stipulates that "this compulsory labour is confined to the scope under jurisdiction of a given county/city for establishing State and collective forests".
Between 1981-1985, over 5 billion trees were planted under the National Compulsory Tree Planting Campaign. In the urban area, about 100 million trees are planted each year which doubled the annual planting before the National Compulsory Tree Planting Campaign, and the green commons in urban China increased by 50% compared to the period before national compulsory tree planting. The statistics of 324 Chinese cities show that the number of cities with over 20% green cover has increased from 37 prior to compulsory tree planting up to the current 89; the number of urban parks has increased, from the previous 728, by 70 each year; the number of cities with 3-5 square meters of per capita green commons has increased from 45 to 101. In cities, people's bias against grass growing is vanishing and increasingly higher priority is given to lawn development. In Beijing, the total area of lawn increased from 0.39 million square meters in 1979 up to over 6 million square meters in 1986, a rise of 16 times.
In rural China, compulsory tree planting has been carried out along with the process of rural reform in light of specific local conditions. In some localities, farmers are organized to plant trees on the barren mountains and along river banks under State ownership or collective tenure. In most cases, funds are raised from diverse channels, farmers contribute their labour in soil preparation and planting; the planted area is then divided into sections or patches and contracted to farmers for long-term management and protection in a bid to establish all kinds of greening projects such as shelterbelt forests, highway and railway greening, river bank greening, gully or mountain afforestation, establishment of a landscape zone or a farmers' park, etc.. Under the impetus of the National Compulsory Tree Planting Campaign, the national target of tree-planting and grass sowing during the Sixth Five-Year plan period was over-fulfilled. The "four-side" planting develops rapidly in plain agricultural zones and in the regions with little forest. During the Sixth Five-Year Plan period, compared to the Fifth Five-Year Plan period, aerial seeding covered 4 million hectares, a rise of 1.7 times; aerial sowing of grass seeds covered 0.584 million hectares, a rise of 14 times; the area of fruit orchards increased by 26.9% and the production of citrus, apple and pearl increased by 47.7 %.
Great progress was scored in 1994 in the National Compulsory Tree Planting Campaign and the national undertaking of afforestation and greening. The Ministry of Forestry worked out and promulgated the Provisional Regulations on National Inspection and Acceptance Techniques for Afforestation of Plantable Barren Mountains and Wasteland and the Major Indicators and Requirements for Elimination of Plantable Barren Mountains and Wasteland (for trial implementation); the National Greening Committee and the Ministry of Forestry jointly issued the Circular on Furthering Afforestation and Greening of Plantable Barren Mountains and Wasteland which have guided China's afforestation and wasteland elimination on to the right track of standardized management. Since 1990, time equivalent to over 2.2 billion persons each contributing once have participated in the compulsory tree planting activities with 11 billion trees planted. In 1994, time equivalent to 490 million of the same time inputs participated in compulsory tree planting activities with 2.52 billion trees being planted; the urban green commons increased by 36,000 hectares with the per capita share reaching 4.4 square meters.
2.3.1 The Three-North Shelterbelt Development Programme
2.3.2 Shelterbelt Development Programme along the Upper and Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River
2.3.3 The Coastal Shelterbelt Development Programme
2.3.4 Plain Afforestation Programme
2.3.5 Taihang Mountains Afforestation Programme
2.3.6 National Programme to Combat Desertification
2.3.7 Shelterbelt Development Programme for Comprehensive Management of Huaihe River and Taihu Lake Basin Area
2.3.8 Shelterbelt Development Programme in the Pearl River Valley
2.3.9 Integrated Shelterbelt Development Programme in Liaohe River Valley
2.3.10 Shelterbelt Development Programme along the Middle Reaches of the Yellow River
China is one of the countries in the world with fragile ecosystems and environment. Despite of the efforts of many years, the overall adverse trend of environmental deterioration in China has not yet been reversed fundamentally and is not in harmony with the rapidly developing economy. In this connection, the principles of eco-economics and optimal systematic design shall be used to establish an ecological forestry system which is wisely designed, perfectly structured and fully functional so as to provide an ecological shelter for China's industrial and agricultural activities and people's living, and help mitigate the effect of natural disasters.
Since 1978, the Chinese government has been implementing such large scale inter-regional and comprehensive ecological forest programmes as the Three-north Shelterbelt Development Programme, the Yangtze Shelterbelt Development Programme, the Coastal Shelterbelt Development Programme and the Taihang Mountains Afforestation Programme in a bid to increase vegetation cover and improve regional environment with remarkable ecological, social and economic benefits reached. Meanwhile, implementation of these programmes is building up rich experience for the establishment of a wisely designed, perfectly structured and fully functional ecological Shelterbelt system in China around the turn of this century.
During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period (1996-2000), the Chinese government shall continue the implementation of the Shelterbelt Development Programme along the Upper and Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, the Coastal Shelterbelt Development Programme, the Taihang Mountain Afforestation Programme and the Plain Afforestation (Agroforestry) Programme, and start implementation of the third phase of the Three-north Shelterbelt Development Programme, Shelterbelt development along the middle reaches of the Yellow River and in the valleys of the Pearl River, Huaihe and Taihu Lake, and Liaohe River, with an objective to bring under initial control the water and soil erosion of China's major rivers and improve substantially the environment in these regions by the mid-21st Century.
The Three-North Shelterbelt Development Programme encompasses 551 counties/districts/cities of 13 provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities in north-west, central north and north-east China covering 4.069 million square kilometres or 42.4% of the country's total land area. This world's largest ecological programme commenced in 1978 and shall be completed by 2050 with a planned programme area of 35.08 million hectares.
By 1994, over 13 million hectares had been planted under the first and second phases of this programme which has protected 11 million hectares of farmland with Shelterbelt networks, rehabilitated 8.93 million hectares of pastureland, and brought under control to a certain extent 30% of the soil and water erosion area in the Loess Plateau reducing the volume of sand/mud flow into the Yellow River by 10%.
During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, efforts will be made to reinforce the achievement scored in the first and second phases of this programme. On the basis of sound protection of the existing forest resources, the third phase will be commenced with priority to be given to 6 provinces/municipalities, namely Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, 5 large stretches (the Kerqin Desert, the Mu Us Desert, the Loess Plateau to the north of Weihe River, the southern part of Luliang Mountain and the Hexi Corridor) and 100 counties. The total afforestation area shall cover 6.18 million hectares.
Between 2001-2010, priority will be given to the control of water and soil erosion in the Loess Plateau. Areas with most serious erosion problems such as gullies in the loess hilly area, the Loess Plateau to the north of Weihe River and in Longdong region and mountain valleys in Shanxi and Shaanxi provinces will be selected for establishment of bank protection forests, farmland shelterbelts and water and soil conservation forests. The total afforestation area will be 4.04 million hectares.
The Yangtze River is the largest river in China with a total length of 6,300 kilometres, its drainage area and population account for respectively 18.8% and 33% of the country's total.
In 1989, the Chinese government approved the Master Plan for the First Phase of the Shelterbelt Development Programme along the Upper and Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River which aims to increase the forest area by 6.67 million hectares by the year 2000 and by 20 million hectares in a time span of 30-40 years on the basis of sound protection of the existing forest vegetation.
At present, the programme is in full swing in 271 counties of 12 provinces/autonomous regions with priority given to ten major programme areas such as the Three Gorges Dam area, the middle and lower reaches of Jinsha River and the drainage area of Jialing River. In the last 6 years since 1989 when the programme commenced, 5.46 million hectares have been afforested, of which 1 million hectares were planted in 1994. Water and soil erosion in over 100 counties has been brought under initial control.
During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, 271 counties shall meet the present afforestation criteria and all programme activities for the first phase will be completed. Efforts will also be made to adjust the programme design, complete programme activities in the ten major programme areas and set up programme models and ten central economic forest bases managed primarily by the State and rural collective forest farms. The total afforestation area will be 2.859 million hectares.
Between 2001 and 2010, priority will be given to the establishment of a wisely designed, perfectly structured, fully functional and highly efficient protective Shelterbelt system along the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River. The total afforestation area will be 6 million hectares.
The Coastal Shelterbelt Development Programme covers 18,000 kilometres of the coastline from the mouth of Yalujiang River in the north to the mouth of Beilun River in the south.
In 1988, the Chinese government made a decision to establish coastal Shelterbelt system in 195 counties/cities/districts of 11 coastal provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities. According to plan, 3.56 million hectares will be planted by the year 2010 so as to raise the forest cover from 24.9% to 39.1%, bring 7.71 million hectares of farmland under the protection of shelterbelt networks, and reduce the volume of soil and water erosion by 50%.
Since the commencement of the programme in 1991, 1.57 million hectares have been planted, of which 324,000 hectares were planted in 1994. By now, the total area of forested land along China's coastline has reached 6.67 million hectares which constitute a framework shelterbelt stretching 15,000 kilometres and bring 6.17 million hectares of farmland under effective protection.
During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, priority will be given to prevention and control of wind and water erosion in the water and soil erosion areas along the coastline by establishing an integrated protective forest system incorporating coastal framework shelterbelts and farmland shelterbelt networks. This system will effectively control water and soil erosion in coastal areas, enhance the capacity to fight against natural calamities, improve functions of ecosystems and the macro environment for investment so as to support the economic development and help raise people's living standards in the coastal areas. The programme scope shall cover 1.002 million hectares.
Between 2001-2010, it is planned to plant 1.067 million hectares and a green shelter along the coastline will take initial shape which will bring under control water and soil erosion along the coast, mitigate the adverse effect of natural calamities such as wind/sandstorm, drought and flood.
In China, there are ten major plains, e.g.: the Northeast Plain, the North China Plain and 918 plain, semi-plain and partial plain counties. The total land area, farmland and population of the plain areas account respectively for 15%, 45% and 50% of the country's total. They are major production bases for grain, cotton and edible oil, etc..
Promotion of plain afforestation and vigorous development of plain forestry is a major strategy to speed up the pace of territory greening and improvement of the ecosystems and environment in the plain areas. It has a far-reaching strategic importance for the advancement of economic development in China's agricultural areas, securing high and stable yield in agriculture and animal husbandry, increasing the potential of agricultural development, adjustment of the layout of domestic timber production, mitigating the conflict between forest protection and local timber and fuelwood demand, promoting adjustment of rural industrial structure, and increasing people's income.
By the end of 1994, the number of counties (cities, districts), prefecture (cities), and provinces (autonomous regions) over the country realizing the goal of plain greening reached 724, 118 and 9 respectively. During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, efforts will be made to promote all the 918 plain, semi-plain and partial plain counties to reach the afforestation criteria set forth by the Ministry of Forestry with 276 counties meeting high level criteria. The total area of farmland under shelterbelt protection nation-wide will hit 43.99 million hectares and the forested land in the plain area reach 26.31 million hectares.
Between 2001 and 2010, 362 counties will reach high level afforestation criteria and efforts will be made to promote the high-efficiency forestry development in plain agricultural regions.
During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, priority will be given to the establishment of headwater conservation forest, water and soil conservation forest in the rocky and hilly areas of the Taihang Mountains, to the appropriate development of economic forests, rehabilitation of forest vegetation and enhancement of the capacity of water and soil conservation. Main activities include: water and soil conservation forests along the upper reaches of Haihe River and tributaries of the Yellow River, water and soil conservation forests in the eastern part of the Taihang Mountains featuring by development of "economic valleys", and the dry-fruit dominating economic forest bases in the western and southeastern part of the Taihang Mountains. The total afforestation area will be 1.36 million hectares. The Programme was launched in 1994, and 358,000 hectares of afforestation was accomplished in the very same year.
Between 2001-2010, it is planned to afforest 1.623 million hectares and control initially water and soil erosion in the programme area and bring about substantial improvement in the regional environment.
The Chinese government attaches great importance to combating desertification and has incorporated it into the national economic and social development plan with complete water/soil conservation and desertification combating research and management organizations established from the Central to local levels. Soon after the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Brazil in 1992, in the spirit of Agenda 21, a framework document for the global sustainable development strategy, China took the lead in the international community in formulation of China's Agenda 21 which incorporates as a major component desertification combating. In 1994, the Chinese government initialled the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. In order to enhance desertification combating endeavours in China, the China National Committee and its Senior Expert Advisory Group to Implement the UN Convention to Combat Desertification was set up and the former National Sand Control Coordinating Group was renamed as China National Coordinating group to Combat Desertification. In January 1995, the China National Action Programme to Implement the UN Convention to Combat Desertification was formulated.
China has gained successful experience in the last 40 years in combating desertification with quite remarkable achievements reached. For instance, dune stabilization and aerial sowing techniques in the arid, semi-arid and sub-humid arid areas, the desertification combating techniques along highways and railways, the supplementary techniques for shelterbelt development in oases, and the integrated control and rehabilitation techniques for secondary salinized soil have been widely extended. By now, about 1 million hectares of windbreak and sand fixation forests have been established and 1.73 million hectares of desert have been controlled and utilized which have brought under control 10% of the wind-eroded and desertified land, helped rehabilitate and protect 44 million hectares of pastureland. There has been an increase of 20% in grass yield and 11 million hectares of wind/sand prone farmland have come under protection of shelterbelt networks with a rise of 10-30% in grain yield. Fuelwood forests have also been greatly promoted and the problem of fuel shortage has been solved for some rural households.
At present, the area of wind-eroded and desertified land is on the increase: in northern China, the annual rate of expansion for wind-eroded and desertified land was about 150,000 hectares during the 1960s and 70s, and 210,000 hectares in the 1980s. In the last 10 years, around 24,000 square kilometres of land have been turned into desertified land due to wind erosion.
Since 1994, the government has organized a multi-disciplinary, multi-sectoral task force to carry out the first national survey on desertified and sandy land which encompasses 861 counties/cities/districts in 29 provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities from the absolute arid areas to moist regions covering 49.39% of the country's total land area. Status maps on national desertification have been prepared. Furthermore, the government has set up China National Desertification Monitoring Centre and formulated the Technical Plan on the Monitoring Principles of Desertification in China and established monitoring plots in Ningxia. The Plan for the National Programme to Combat Desertification between 1991 and 2000 has been implemented during the process of which 20 priority counties, 9 experimental zones and 22 experimental and demonstration bases have been set up in different types of desertification zones (dominated by north-west, north and north-east of China).
By 2000, advanced biological and engineering techniques will be adopted to harness the wind-eroded and desertified farmland and pastureland. Resources shall be wisely designed and utilized to establish an eco-economic development model integrating cultivation/livestock raising, processing, and sideline/trade. Some 16.05 million hectares of pastureland will be upgraded and 2 million hectares of high standard artificial grassland will be established; about 250,000 hectares of intercropping/rotational cropping among grain, fruits and grass, and 130,000 hectares of medicinal herbs and economic crops will be established; 60,000 hectares of water area be utilized; 230,000 hectares of timber plantation and economic forests be established; 230,000 hectares of deserts and low yield farmland be transformed; a number of entities and enterprises be established to provide employment opportunities for the local people in the programme area.
By 2010, a legalized resource management system and a high quality and sustainable sectoral development and industrial system will be established in the wind-eroded and desertified areas to conduct integrated development of the desertified land for supply of grain, cotton, edible oil, meat, eggs and milk, and for securing healthy progress in environmental and economic development. Efforts will be made to upgrade 34 million hectares of natural pastureland, establish 5 million hectares of high quality artificial pastureland, develop 1 million hectares for intercropping/rotational cropping among forest, fruits and grass, harness and rehabilitate half of the pastureland subject to degradation, desertification and salinization, develop 230,000 hectares to grow various medicinal herbs and economic plants, utilize a water area of 130,000 hectares and transform by means of afforestation 300,000 hectares of low yield farmland.
The programme aims at establishing a multi-forest type, multi-function and multi-benefit shelterbelt system primarily for flood control and it encompasses 208 counties/cities/districts in 7 provinces/municipality. The priority during the Ninth Five-Year Plan period will be establishment of water and soil conservation forests mainly for head water conservation and water and soil conservation in the Dabie Mountain area, low mountains and hilly areas of Tongbai Mountain Range, low mountains and hilly areas of Funiu Mountain Range, hilly areas in Songshan and Huangshan mountains, hilly areas and tableland along the middle and lower reaches of Huaihe River, hilly and rocky mountains along the lower reaches of Huaihe River and low mountains and hilly areas in Tianmu and Yisu mountains; project for wavebreaking shelterbelts along Lixia River; and project for farmland shelterbelts in Taihu Plain and wavebreaks along Taihu dikes. The total area to be afforested is 728,000 hectares.
Between 2001 and 2010, 319,000 hectares are planned to be planted so as to reach the goal of bringing under initial control the water and soil erosion problem through integrated approaches of treatment and promote environmental development into a healthy circle.
The Pearl River Shelterbelt Programme encompassing 177 counties/cities of Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi and Guangdong provinces/autonomous region aims primarily at increasing the area of forest resources, control of water and soil erosion, mitigating the effect of natural calamities and promoting a healthy biological chain. During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, efforts will be made to harness water and soil erosion in the programme area so as to increase forest land and improve the local environment and further tap the potential of agriculture. Some 578,000 hectares shall be planted. The priority projects include the water and soil conservation and wavebreaking forest project along the northern bank of Hongshui River of the Nanpanjiang River; the head water conservation and water and soil conservation forest project in the northern section of Nanpanjiang River; the bank protection forest project along the southern bank of Nanpanjiang River through Hongshui River to Xunjiang River; and the bank protection and water and soil conservation forest along the Xijiang River.
Between 2001 and 2010, about 622,000 hectares will be planted to raise the forest cover in the programme area up to 56%, bring obvious improvement to the local environment and initiate achievement of the wish for dense forests and bumper harvests.
This programme plans to give priority to erosion control and combating wind and sand damage in the light of the local natural and ecological conditions so as to eradicate fundamentally the adverse impacts of natural calamities. It covers 77 counties/cities/banners in Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Jilin and Liaoning provinces/autonomous region. During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, priority will be given to shelterbelt development primarily for water and soil conservation, head water conservation, and windbreaking and sand fixation, and development of economic and fuelwood forests with moderate expansion of the timber plantations. The total planned area for afforestation is 717,000 hectares. Major projects include: project for establishing water and soil conservation forests along the upper and middle reaches of the Liaohe River; project for establishing head water conservation and water and soil conservation forests along the upper reaches of Xilamulun River; water and soil conservation forest project along the upper reaches of Jiaolai River; project for establishing water and soil conservation forests, windbreaks and sand fixing forests along the upper and middle reaches of the Liu-Rao river system; wavebreaking forests project along the flood prevention dikes of Liaohe River; project for establishing water and soil conservation and head water conservation forests in low mountainous and hilly areas along the upper reaches of Dongliao River; water and soil conservation forests project in the wind and water eroded area of Dongliao River Plain; and headwater conservation forests and timber plantation project in the mountainous area in eastern Liaoning Province.
Between 2001 and 2010, 483,000 hectares will be planted which will bring under control such natural calamities as water and soil erosion, wind and sand damage, promote the steady development of agriculture and mitigate the unbalance between market demand and supply of the forest and subsidiary products.
This programme encompasses 177 counties/cities/banners in Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Henan provinces/autonomous regions and aims at controlling water and soil erosion in the Yellow River Valley, reducing sand and earth content in the Yellow River. It is to bring into maximum play the role of major water storage facilities in the programme area in flood and avalanche control, reduction of sediments as well as in water supply and power generation and safeguarding people's living conditions and high and stable yield in agriculture.
During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, priority shall be given to establishment of headwater conservation forests along the upper reaches of all tributaries, bank and slope protection forests along the main course and its tributaries and on steep mountain slopes; farmland and pastureland shelterbelt networks and water and soil conservation forests on flat land, ridges, earth mounds and flat hilly areas; and timber oriented protection forests and economic forests along fertile and moist river banks. The planned area for afforestation is 1.05 million hectares.
Between 2001 and 2010, about 2.1 million hectares are to be planted to raise the forest cover up to 24.4%, which will bring about remarkable improvement of the environment, protect farmland, decrease the sand and mud flow into rivers and substantially reduce sediments in water conservancy facilities.
2.4.1 Status-quo
2.4.2 Trend of development for forest fire prevention and control
2.4.3 Trend of development for prevention of forest diseases and pests
The Chinese government attaches great importance to forest fire prevention and control, and requests governments at all levels to implement stringently the Regulations on Forest Fire Prevention and Control and relevant local rules and regulations, following the guideline of "prevention first and control". The forest fire prevention target responsibility system is adopted to strengthen fire prevention infrastructure development and crew training, and reinforce fire prevention centring around fire origin management with remarkable achievement score
In recent years, there has been a promising trend of overall decline in the occurrence of forest fires. The control rate of forest fire in 1994 over the country was almost 1.2 times higher than that of 1993, and 1.1 times higher than the average level of the previous 6 years, making a new best historical record.
Prevention of forest pests and diseases has been strengthened with the rate of prevention and control being increased substantially. In the Seventh Five-Year Plan Period, a total of 14.93 million hectares of forest diseases and pests affected land have been brought under control, a rise of 8.9% compared to that in the Sixth Five-Year Plan period. The trend indicates that the controlled area is enlarged year by year. The rate of integrated prevention and control has increased to 40% from 36.7% in the Sixth Five-Year Plan period. The integrated prevention and control projects have achieved initial success. About 156 counties in 21 provinces/municipalities/autonomous regions have been organized to conduct the integrated control activities for various types diseases and pests on 3.7333 million hectares of land with promising results achieved.
Nevertheless, China still faces a major challenge and arduous tasks of forest protection. The present fire prevention infrastructure in China is inadequate to fulfil the task and falls short of the requirements for the establishment of "four networks and two specializations", i.e.: fire risk prediction and forecast network, lockout network, communication network, firebreaks network, personnel specialization and specialization of fire suppression equipment. Fire prevention facilities for virgin forests are rather poor; the facilities for observation, communication, transportation and fire control for collectively owned forests in southern China are inadequate; there are no fire prevention facilities at all for forests in some remote mountainous areas; the comprehensive prevention and control system for forest fires remains fragile.
In China, the problem of forest pests and disease remains extremely serious with increasing types of pests and diseases, expanding affected areas, and shortening of intervals between attacks. According to general survey, there are 8,000 types of forest pests and diseases among which 2,900 are forest diseases with over 200 of them being capable of reaching epidemic scale and over 100 frequently causing disasters of damage. Since 1980, the annual affected forest area has exceeded 6.67 million hectares with the worst year being over 10 million hectares, the loss in annual wood growth amounts to 15 million cubic meters, equivalent to 4% of the annual consumption of forest resources nation-wide, and the financial loss about RMB 2 billion yuan. The area affected by forest pests and diseases in 1994 also reached 7 million hectares.
Among the intended achievements are: a) enhance the overall capacity for forest fire prevention and control, gradually reduce the number of forest fire occurrence and the scale of damage, bring the percentage of affected areas to below one per thousand and try to eliminate tremendous forest fires and severe human casualties all together. Realize eventually the "four networks and two specializations" in all class I, II and III fire danger zones by the end of this century; and (b) establish and improve the organizational and command system for forest fire prevention, formulate and improve rules and systematic measures for fire prevention for class I, II and III fire danger zones, focusing on the following five key projects:
· The Forest Fire Risk Prediction and Forecast Project. Establish a system for the monitoring and forecasting of forest fire dangers, using the national meteorological satellite services; establish a system for the evaluation of fire dangers and a supporting system for fire prevention decision making, utilizing computer database management and geographical information system software as the basis;· The Forest Fire Monitoring and Lockout Project. Establish 10,000 lockout towers or posts nation-wide by the year 2000 to complete the formation of a command system for forest fire prevention and fire fighting;
· The Radio Communication Project for Forest Fire Management. Acquire or replace 18,000 radio transmitters, 80,000 walkie-talkies and 1,280 facsimile machines by the year 2000;
· The Aerial Surveillance Plane Airstrips Project. Complete or Improve the existing ground-guarantee facilities of seventeen airstrips for air surveillance planes;
· The Firebreaks Development Project.
Control the disease and pest-affected areas and damage degree nation-wide by "one decrease (decrease of the frequency of occurrence) and three increases (increase of the coverage of prevention, quarantine and monitoring)'. By the end of this century, complete the preliminary establishment of a nation-wide system of prevention and quarantine stations, monitoring and forecasting network, quarantine inspection network, prevention and control network, and the development of ''one station, three networks and two specializations". A prevention and control system will be established during the Ninth Five-Year Plan period for the major forest regions and the worst affected areas, achieving a 70% coverage of comprehensive prevention and control for these areas.
By the year 2000, complete the initial establishment of a system for prevention, control and supervision of forest pests and diseases in major afforestation areas of national shelterbelt programmes and the worst affected areas of forest pests and diseases which will include the following components:
· Project focusing on prevention and control of diseases and pests affecting poplars across the entire northern part of China;· Project focusing on prevention and control of pine caterpillars affecting forest regions in the north-east and Inner Mongolia, forest farms in the north and north-west of China and in the collectively-owned forest regions in southern China;
· Project focusing on prevention and control of Cryptothelea variegata affecting shelterbelts in the farming areas of central China;
· Project focusing on prevention and control of seriously damaging forest pests and diseases;
· Project focusing on prevention and control of destructive forest rats.
2.5.1 Status-quo
2.5.2 Trend of development for biodiversity conservation
2.5.3 Trend of development for conservation of wetland resources
2.5.4 Trend of development for nature reserves
China is one of the countries in the world which host the most diverse wild fauna and flora species including 32,800 higher plants and 104,500 animal species. As the majority areas in China were not affected by the Quaternary Glacier, about 10,000 ancient, relic and endemic species of 200 genera have been preserved; China is also one of the three major centres of origin for cultivated plants in the world, with a lot of wild related species of cultivated plants.
The natural wetlands in China include marsh, peatland, meadow, salty plateau lake, salinized marsh and coastal wetland, etc., which cover an area of 25 million hectares throughout the country, accounting for 2.6% of China's total land area.
The Chinese government attaches great importance to conservation and utilization of forest biodiversity, wild fauna, flora and wetlands, and has promulgated the Forest Law, the Law of Wildlife Conservation, and acceded to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, CITES and the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitats.
China has made considerable progress in conserving and utilizing forest biodiversity, wild fauna, flora and wetlands. It has set up over 500 nature reserves for conserving forest and wetland ecosystems and wild fauna and flora; compiled Forests in China, Flora Sinica, Fauna Sinica and the Red Data Book of Botany in China; and enhanced the studies on the conservation and breeding techniques of the rare and endangered species of wild fauna and flora. In a bid to rescue and breed rare and endangered plant species, China has set up over 400 ex-situ conservation and regeneration areas and germplasm resource banks, more than 120 botanical gardens and arboreta which bring under protection 18,000 species and 90% of State protected wild plant species have been preserved in the ex-situ conservation process and nearly 1,000 rare and precious plants been protected and bred. By now, artificial breeding of such endemic rare and endangered plant species as Cathaya argyronhylla, Metasequoia glyptostroboides and Davidia involucrata has been successful.
By 1995, there were 799 different type nature reserves in China covering 7.185 million hectares. For conservation of forest and wetland ecosystems and wild fauna and flora, 574 nature reserves covering 61.12 million hectares or 6.37% of the country's total land area has been established of which 71 are national nature reserves covering 10.12 million hectares; 12 reserves had been incorporated into the Man and Biosphere Nature Reserve Network of UNESCO. The forestry sector also manages 751 forest parks with a total area of 6.6 million hectares.
The following is intended (a) complete the baseline inventory of China's forest biodiversity and wild fauna and flora by the year 2000; (b) improve the in-situ and ex-situ conservation networks for the rare and endangered wildlife species for an appropriate layout of the conservation network and a better means of conservation as well by the year 2000; and (c) attach great importance to the wise use of wild fauna and flora resources while strengthening the conservation of forest biodiversity and wild fauna and flora.
By the year 2000, China Wetland Conservation Action Plan will be hammered out and the baseline inventory of China's wetland resources be completed. By the year 2010, China Wetland Conservation Action Plan will be fully implemented which will hold back destruction of wetland resources and ensure the comprehensive conservation and wise use of China's wetland resources.
Eighty new nature reserves of forest ecosystem, wetland ecosystem and wild fauna and flora types will be set up from 1996 to 2000, of which 36 are national nature reserves. Thus, the total number of nature reserves and national nature reserves will reach respectively 600 and 100, with the total area reaching 60.59 million hectares. Another 100 nature reserves will be set up between 2000 and 2010, of which 50 are national nature reserves, bringing the total number of nature reserves and national nature reserves to 750 and 150 respectively, and the total area to 70.68 million hectares. The total number of nature reserves in China will reach 800 by 2050 of which 180 will be national nature reserves. The level of development for the national nature reserves and some provincial nature reserves will meet the criteria set forth by the Ministry of Forestry.
Enhance management and conservation of nature reserves, raise the level of management and conservation. With this serving as a basis, efforts shall be made to use resources in a proper way and enhance the self sustaining ability of nature reserves.
A national nature reserve network, appropriate in size and distribution, complete in grades and types will take shape by 2010.
2.6.1 Production of Major Forest Products
2.6.2 Consumption of Major Forest Products
2.6.3 Import, Export and Trade of Major Forest Products
2.6.1.1 Logs
For decades, the domestic supply of logs in China has consisted of three components, i.e.: logs under planning, logs outside planning, and fuelwood. The government has accurate statistics on logs (some fuelwood included) under the State planning which is officially published each year by the Ministry of Forestry. However, there are no official and accurate statistical data for logs outside State planning and fuelwood; indirect guess work and estimation have to be applied in most cases.
As per the statistics of the Ministry of Forestry, production of logs (some fuelwood included) in China between 1981 and 1994 is given in Table 13:
Table 13 - Timber Production in China Under Planning 1981-1994, Unit: 1,000 cubic meters
|
Year
|
Production |
Year
|
Production |
||
|
Industrial |
Fuelwood |
Industrial |
Fuelwood |
||
|
1981 |
45,430 |
3,990 |
1988 |
57,510 |
4,670 |
|
1982 |
46,510 |
3,990 |
1989 |
50,370 |
7,650 |
|
1983 |
47,790 |
4,530 |
1990 |
51,090 |
4,620 |
|
1984 |
57,290 |
6,560 |
1991 |
52,890 |
5,180 |
|
1985 |
58,330 |
4,900 |
1992 |
56,270 |
5,470 |
|
1986 |
59,620 |
5,400 |
1993 |
58,600 |
5,320 |
|
1987 |
59,540 |
4,540 |
1994 |
60,130 |
6,020 |
Source: Forestry Yearbook of China, 1994
Table 14 - Total and Breakdown of Forest Resource Consumption in China 1988-1994, Unit: 1,000 cubic meters
|
Breakdown
|
1988 |
1989 |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
|||||||
|
consumption |
% |
consumption |
% |
consumption |
% |
consumption |
% |
consumption |
% |
consumption |
% |
consumption |
% |
|
|
Total |
328,496 |
100 |
300,727 |
100 |
297,264 |
100 |
292,661 |
100 |
298,057 |
100 |
296,654 |
100 |
298,292 |
100 |
|
commercial use |
124,895 |
38 |
118,723 |
39.5 |
115,919 |
39 |
119,075 |
40.7 |
127,920 |
42.9 |
128,637 |
43.3 |
131,743 |
44.2 |
|
local consumption |
70,528 |
21.5 |
58,064 |
19.3 |
63,986 |
21.5 |
60,937 |
20.8 |
58,289 |
19.6 |
61,393 |
20.7 |
62,018 |
20.8 |
|
Wood for mushroom cultiva. |
7,970 |
2.4 |
7,433 |
2 5 |
6,529 |
2.2 |
6,434 |
2.2 |
7,820 |
2.6 |
7,674 |
2.6 |
8,161 |
2.7 |
|
fuelwood |
106,815 |
32.5 |
104,670 |
34.8 |
97,101 |
32.7 |
92,186 |
31.5 |
92.071 |
30.9 |
88,403 |
29.8 |
85,936 |
28.8 |
|
loss in disasters |
8,016 |
2.5 |
6,806 |
2.3 |
4,843 |
1.6 |
7,626 |
26 |
7.564 |
2.5 |
6,351 |
2.1 |
6,675 |
2.2 |
|
others |
8,909 |
2.7 |
5,031 |
1.7 |
8,886 |
3.0 |
6,403 |
2.2 |
4,393 |
1.5 |
4,196 |
1.4 |
3,759 |
1.3 |
Source: Department of Resources and Forestry Administration of the Ministry of Forestry
Supply and consumption of timber outside State planning and fuelwood are usually estimated figures with reference to the State's actual consumption of forest resources. Due to the fact that the statistical data on national consumption of forest resources are from the findings of the regular national forest resources inventories, they reflect well the actual annual roundwood consumption in China. According to statistics from the fourth national forest resources inventory done from 1989 to 1993, the annual consumption volume of forest resources in China during that period was 346.24118 million cubic meters. If calculated using 65% as the average timber recovery rate for standing stocks, the national timber production would come out to be 225.0572 million cubic meters. This figure is much higher than the presently published production volume in statistics.
Though the timber production volume calculated based on forest resources inventory can be more accurate in reflecting the actual situation of China's timber production, there are certain limitations. The work is done periodically (once every five years), thus only capable of providing an average figure for the years during the inventory, while incapable of providing the resource consumption volume and timber production volume of each year.
Another problem with this figure is that it only shows the total consumption volume of forest resources, without defining its structure.
To make up for this shortcoming, the Department of Resources and Forestry Administration of the Ministry of Forestry has organized the Academy of Forest Inventory and Planning to carry out a survey on the country's forest resources consumption volume once a year. This work is based on statistics collected from field survey on fixed spots and a calculation at the national level. The yearly forest resources consumption figures obtained through such a method are not as accurate as statistics from forest resource inventories, yet they can provide every year's figures in time, and they can also provide the structure for resource consumption, thus this method is also widely used. Generally speaking, this figure is more rational and closer to the actual situation than the timber production figure published every year. Table 14 shows the consumption volume and structure of forest resources between 1988 and 1994.
Table 14 indicates that the annual roundwood consumption in China was between 193 - 214 million cubic meters during the period 1988-1994 excluding fuelwood consumption and loss in natural disasters. Based on a timber recovery of 65%, the annual timber production could be 125.45 - 139.1 million cubic meters. In the past decade, the Chinese government has adopted a series of measures to reverse the adverse trend of consumption exceeding growth and the excessive use of fuelwood, including formulation and implementation of the quota logging system, vigorous development of integrated timber utilization, strengthening forest protection and extension of alternative energy sources and the energy saving stoves in rural areas. Table 14 presents a favourable trend: forest resource consumption in China was stable and gradually decreased between 1988 and 1994, consumption of the standing stock volume decreased by 30.204 million cubic meters or 9.2%. During the same period, the following changes took place in the composition of forest resources consumption:
(1) Increase in the proportion of commercial roundwood. Commercial roundwood made up 44.2% of the total consumption of the standing stock volume in 1994, an increase of 6.848 million cubic meters or 6.2% compared to 38% in 1988. Although the increase was not big, it indicated a trend of gradual increase in the forest resources to meet the needs of the forest products industry.(2) Gradual drop in fuelwood consumption. Fuelwood consumption in 1994 dropped by 20.879 million cubic meters or 15.8% compared to that in 1988. However, the proportion of fuelwood consumption in the total resource consumption is still large (28.8%, and even over 70% in some provinces). This indicates that there is great potential in increasing supply of industrial roundwood just by taking various resource saving measures.
(3) Gradual decrease in local farmers' consumption of roundwood. Compared to that in 1988, the local farmers' consumption of roundwood decreased by 8.51 million cubic meters in 1994 and its percentage share in the total consumption of the standing stock volume also dropped from 21.5% down to 20.8%. This trend is favourable for expanding supply of commercial roundwood and for development of the forest products industry.
2.6.1.2 Sawntimber
As per the statistics of the Ministry of Forestry, China's sawntimber production was 12.9434 million cubic meters in 1994 which was slightly less than that in 1993 and lower than the peak production in 1995 (15.908 million cubic meters). Sawntimber production in China since 1981 is illustrated in Table 15.
Table 15 - Sawntimber Production in China Between 1981-1994, Unit: 1,000 cubic meters
|
Year |
Production |
Year |
Production |
|
1981 |
13,011 |
1988 |
14,684 |
|
1982 |
13,609 |
1989 |
13.933 |
|
1983 |
13,945 |
1990 |
12,849 |
|
1984 |
15.086 |
1991 |
11,415 |
|
1985 |
15.908 |
1992 |
11,187 |
|
1986 |
15.052 |
1993 |
14,013 |
|
1987 |
14,719 |
1994 |
12,943 |
Source: National Forestry Statistics, 1994.
In the last decade and over, sawntimber production in China has been stagnant and started to decline since 1985. The main reason was the gradual decline in the quality of forest resources, particularly decline in large diameter resources of such common species as Pinus koraiensis, Cunninghamia lanceolata, Picea spp., Abies spp., Fraxinus mandshurica and Quercus mongolica. This not only has direct impact on the quantity of sawntimber production but also lowers the quality of products. In addition, many timber demanding units purchase roundwood and process by themselves or contract out to individually owned or collective small scale factories to process into sawntimber products which are not included in the national statistics of sawntimber production. This is also a direct cause of the relatively small figure in the statistics of national sawntimber production.
2.6.1.3 Wood-based Panels
Plywood
Before the 1980s, development of China's plywood industry was very slow. The total production of plywood was merely 329,900 cubic meters in 1980. After China adopted the policy of reform and opening to the outside world together with increasingly more overseas investments, plywood production has increased steadily. By 1994, the national production of plywood had reached 2.606 million cubic meters. Plywood production in China between 1981 and 1994 is given in Table 16.
Table 16 - Plywood Production in China 1981-1994, Unit: 1,000 cubic meters
|
Year |
Production |
Year |
Production |
|
1981 |
351 |
1988 |
827 |
|
1982 |
394 |
1989 |
728 |
|
1983 |
455 |
1990 |
759 |
|
1984 |
490 |
1991 |
1,054 |
|
1985 |
539 |
1992 |
1,565 |
|
1986 |
611 |
1993 |
2,125 |
|
1987 |
776 |
1994 |
2,606 |
Source: National Forestry Statistics, 1994.
Plywood products made in China are mainly utility plywood products with very little special plywood products except a small quantity of bamboo plywood. Of the total plywood production in 1993 and 1994, the special plywood accounted for only 37,100 cubic meters and 28,900 cubic meters respectively; bamboo plywood production was 93,100 cubic meters and 51,200 cubic meters respectively.
Fibreboard (MDF included)
For a long period of time, fibreboard production in China was dominated by wet pressed hardboard and MDF production started production since the early 1980s. Since the early 1990s, production of wet pressed hardboard has been stagnant and shrinking due to small production scale, poor quality of products and environmental pollution. Instead, MDF production has witnessed rapid development. Softboard (non-compressed fibreboard) is produced only in few Chinese factories with an annual production of less than 10,000 cubic meters (Table 17). In addition, there is also some small scale production of non-wood fibreboard using agricultural residues and bagasse.
Table 17 - Fibreboard Production in China 1981-1994, Unit: 1,000 cubic meters
|
Year
|
Total
|
Wooden fibreboard |
Non-wood
|
|||
|
subtotal |
hardboard |
MDF |
softboard |
|||
|
1981 |
568.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1982 |
669.9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1983 |
734.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1984 |
735,9 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1985 |
895.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1986 |
1,027.0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1987 |
1,206.5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1988 |
1,484.1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1989 |
1,442.7 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1990 |
1,172.4 |
1,082.6 |
992.9 |
86.9 |
2.8 |
89.3 |
|
1991 |
1,174.3 |
1,056.9 |
914.2 |
136.6 |
9.0 |
117.4 |
|
1992 |
1,444.5 |
1,301.8 |
1,016.2 |
285.6 |
|
142.7 |
|
1993 |
1,809.7 |
1,648.7 |
1,330.3 |
312.9 |
5.5 |
161.0 |
|
1994 |
1,930.3 |
1,805.7 |
1,508.3 |
289.2 |
8.2 |
124.6 |
Note: Production before 1989 was mainly hardboard.
Source: National Forestry Statistics, 1994.
Particleboard
In the early 1980s, China started its adjustment of the industrial policy on wood-based panels and shifted priority in wood-based panel development from hardboard to the development of particleboard. Along with the subsequent increase in investment and in introduced equipment, particleboard production has been gradually increasing. By 1992, the national production had exceeded 1 million cubic meters. Raw material for particleboard production in are mainly residues of timber processing industries, poor quality and small diameter roundwood, the proportion of non-wood particleboard is very small. Furthermore, four OSB (oriented structural board) factories are to enter into operation soon in China, but the designed capacity for these factories are quite small with a total annual capacity of less than 60,000 cubic meters. Particleboard production in China between 1981 and 1994 is shown in Table 18.
Table 18 - Particleboard Production in China 1981-1994, Unit: 1,000 cubic meters
|
year |
total |
ordinary particle board |
cement particle board |
non-wood particle board |
year |
total |
ordinary particle board |
cement particle board |
non-wood particle board |
|
1981 |
76.7 |
|
|
|
1988 |
483.1 |
|
|
|
|
1982 |
102.7 |
|
|
|
1989 |
442.0 |
|
|
|
|
1983 |
127,4 |
|
|
|
1990 |
428.0 |
394.6 |
1.7 |
31.7 |
|
1984 |
164.8 |
|
|
|
1991 |
613.8 |
567,5 |
|
46.3 |
|
1985 |
182.1 |
|
|
|
1992 |
1,158.5 |
1,078.7 |
|
59.8 |
|
1986 |
210.3 |
|
|
|
1993 |
1,571.3 |
1,500.8 |
|
70.5 |
|
1987 |
377,8 |
|
|
|
1994 |
1,682.0 |
1,592.0 |
0.5 |
89.5 |
Note: Production before 1989 was mainly ordinary particleboard.
Source: Forestry Statistics of China, 1994.
2.6.1.4 Paper and paperboard
Along with the rapid advancement of the national economy and the sharp increase in demand for paper products, China's paper making industry has scored remarkable development in the last decade. In particular since the mid-1980s, production of paper and paperboard has been tripled. By 1994 the production reached 21.38 million tons nearly tripling the production of 1981. For details, see Table 19.
Table 19 - Paper and Paperboard Production in China 1981-1994, Unit: 1,000 tons
|
Year |
Production |
Year |
Production |
|
1981 |
5,400 |
1988 |
12,700 |
|
1982 |
5,890 |
1989 |
13,330 |
|
1983 |
6,610 |
1990 |
13,720 |
|
1984 |
7,560 |
1991 |
14,790 |
|
1985 |
9,110 |
1992 |
17,250 |
|
1986 |
9,990 |
1993 |
18,680 |
|
1987 |
11,410 |
1994 |
21,380 |
Source: China Paper Making Yearbook, 1994.
2.6.2.7 Industrial Roundwood
Due to the substantial decline of the domestic harvestible forest resources, particularly depletion of large diameter roundwood and plywood logs, and the strict quota logging system of the State for control of excessive resource consumption, the Chinese government adopted, since the early 1980s, the policy of appropriate import of large diameter industrial roundwood. Table 20 presents the total commercial roundwood consumption under the State planning and the total consumption of industrial roundwood (outside plan supply included) between 1981 and 1994 including the imported roundwood.
Table 20 - Consumption of Industrial Roundwood in China 1988-19941 1,000 cubic meters
|
Year |
Industrial round-wood |
Total industrial roundwood | |
|
1988 |
68,185 |
91,8572 |
132,2053 |
|
1989 |
56,780 |
83,580 |
119,743 |
|
1990 |
55,283 |
79,540 |
121,182 |
|
1991 |
56,987 |
81,496 |
121,190 |
|
1992 |
60,940 |
87,818 |
126,119 |
|
1993 |
62,067 |
87,081 |
128,508 |
|
1994 |
63,465 |
88,968 |
131,249 |
Source: Forestry Yearbook of China, 1994; Customs Statistics of China, 1994.Note:
1 Industrial roundwood import included.
2 Estimation based only on consumption of commercial timber resources.
3 Including commercial timber, timber for farmers' own use and planting materials for propagation.
Calculations based on Table 20 indicate that the per capita consumption of industrial roundwood under State planning was only 0.05 cubic meters in 1994 and the per capita consumption of total industrial roundwood was 0.07-0,11 cubic meters (1994).
2.6.2.2 Sawntimber
Many users process sawntimber on their own with roundwood purchased. Therefore, although consumption of sawntimber as such is a lot, no accurate statistics can be expected. If only based on the recorded national production of sawntimber together with import but excluding export, statistical data on sawntimber consumption in China between 1988 and 1994 are given in Table 21.
Table 21 - Recorded Sawntimber Consumption in China 1988-1994, Unit: 1,000 cubic meters
|
Year |
Sawntimber consumption |
|
1988 |
15,073 |
|
1989 |
14,054 |
|
1990 |
13,015 |
|
1991 |
11.623 |
|
1992 |
11,238 |
|
1993 |
15,001 |
|
1994 |
13,508 |
Source: Forestry Statistics of China, 1994; Customs Statistics of China, 1994.
2.6.2.3 Wood-based Panels
Consumption of wood-based panels in China has been dominated by plywood for many years, even at present. For instance, of the total wood-based panel consumption in 1994, plywood consumption (import included) made up as high as 57%. The direct cause for a constantly large plywood demand is the continuously increasing demand for plywood by such sectors as furniture making, interior decoration and vehicle and ship manufacturing along with the rapid national economic development. On the other hand, increasing number of plywood plants established with overseas financing, vigorous development of small scale township/town plywood mills and big imports of cheap plywood from the south-east Asian countries provide sufficient supply for the plywood market in China. Today, the annual plywood consumption in China is around 4-5 million cubic meters. Plywood consumption in China between 1988 and 1994 is given in Table 22.
Table 22 - Plywood Consumption in China 1988-1994, Unit: 1,000 cubic meters
|
Year |
Production |
Import |
Export |
Consumption |
|
1988 |
827 |
1,352 |
8 |
2,171 |
|
1989 |
728 |
1,073 |
9 |
1,792 |
|
1990 |
759 |
1,377 |
21 |
2,115 |
|
1991 |
1,054 |
1,463 |
22 |
2,495 |
|
1992 |
1,565 |
1,585 |
43 |
3,107 |
|
1993 |
2.125 |
1,513 |
45 |
3,593 |
|
1994 |
2.606 |
2,177 |
106 |
4,677 |
Source: Forestry Statistics of China, 1994; Customs Statistics of China, 1994.
As for other panel products such as fibreboard (MDF included) and particleboard, there is little import and export, the market demand is primarily met by domestic production.
2.6.2.4 Paper and paperboard
Despite of the rapid development in China's paper making industry in recent years, the domestic market demand can not yet be met not only in quantity, but more importantly, in quality the end users require. Due to the fact that 60% of the raw material for pulp making in China is crop straws, wood pulp (including imported wood pulp) making up only 14% and waste paper 25%, sufficient quantity of high quality paper and various special paper products cannot be produced. In this connection, large quantities of pulp and paper products have to be imported every year to meet the demand of the domestic market for high quality paper products. Consumption of paper and paperboard in China between 1988 and 1994 is given in Table 23.
Table 23 - Consumption of Paper and Paperboard in China 1988-1994
|
Year |
Consumption of paper and paperboard (1,000 tons) |
|
1988 |
13,429 |
|
1989 |
14,166 |
|
1990 |
14,629 |
|
1991 |
16,093 |
|
1992 |
19,377 |
|
1993 |
20,428 |
|
1994 |
24,270 |
Source: Paper Making Yearbook of China, 1994.Note: The consumption of paper and paperboard in China further increased to 30.62 million tons by 1995, ranking the second in the world compared to the third of 1994. Yet the per capita consumption volume is still rather low, being 20.2 kg/person/year in 1994, ranking 63 in the world, and increased to 25.1 kg/person/year in 1995, ranking 57 in the world.
Before the mid-1970s, China basically followed the routine of a self-sufficient economy and, as in other economic sectors, value of forest products trade was very low. Ever since 1980s, along with implementation of the reform and open-door policy, economic development has entered a high growth period. Simultaneously, population growth and decline of domestic forest resources further worsened the existing imbalance between wood demand and supply. Shortage of timber and other forest products became a major restraining factor hindering development of the national economy. Within this context, in order to secure the normal operation of the national economy, meet the people's demand, prevent the existing forest resources from further depletion and protect the fragile ecosystem and environment, the Chinese government made a strategic decision, that is, although China is in a tight economic situation and falls extremely short of foreign exchange, a certain amount of foreign exchange has to be allocated for import of timber and other forest products in urgent need.
2.6.3.1 Import of Forest Products
The forest products China imports fall into 6 major categories, i.e.: logs, plywood, pulp (including waste paper), paper and paperboard, sawntimber and veneer. Between 1981 and 1992, logs dominated the forest products China imported with accumulative value of import for the 12 years reaching US$ 7.04 billion, accounting for 32% of China's total import value, followed by paper and paperboard: US$ 6.45 billion or 29%, followed by pulp and waste paper: US$ 4.99 billion or 19%, and finally plywood: US$ 3.972 billion or 18%. In recent years, along with log export bans adopted by increasing number of countries and the continuous price increase for logs (including temperate conifers and tropical hardwoods), the volume of log imports into China has dropped while its import of plywood, veneer, paper and paperboard keeps on increasing; import of pulp, waste paper and sawntimber remains steady with moderate increase (Table 24).
Table 24 - China's Import of Forest Products 1981-1994
|
Year |
Roundwood 1,000m3 |
Sawntimber 1,000m3 |
Plywood 1,000m3 |
Veneer 1,000 m3 |
Pulp/wastepaper 1,000 tons |
Paper/paperboard 1,000 tons |
|
1981 |
1,871 |
75 |
259 |
0.3 |
710 |
766 |
|
1982 |
4,652 |
132 |
5,140 |
8.4 |
584 |
459 |
|
1983 |
6,613 |
162 |
304 |
4.9 |
977 |
517 |
|
1984 |
7,956 |
600 |
573 |
1.2 |
824 |
608 |
|
1985 |
9,820 |
148 |
824 |
2.3 |
779 |
863 |
|
1986 |
7,818 |
165 |
621 |
0.9 |
737 |
1,095 |
|
1987 |
7,189 |
98 |
1,406 |
30.2 |
979 |
1,336 |
|
1988 |
10,675 |
392 |
1.352 |
24.6 |
788 |
852 |
|
1989 |
6,410 |
125 |
1.073 |
13.5 |
465 |
858 |
|
1990 |
4,193 |
252 |
1,377 |
5.8 |
765 |
952 |
|
1991 |
4,097 |
306 |
1,463 |
27.9 |
1,291 |
1,339 |
|
1992 |
4,670 |
974 |
1,585 |
241.4 |
1,343 |
2,443 |
|
1993 |
3,467 |
1,318 |
1,513 |
350.0 |
1,300 |
2,500 |
|
1994 |
3,335 |
955 |
2,177 |
239.0 |
1,410 |
3,180 |
|
Total |
82,757 |
5,702 |
15,041 |
950.4 |
12,952 |
17,768 |
|
Equivalent annual growth rate(%) |
4.5 |
21.5 |
17.8 |
Infinite |
5.4 |
11.6 |
Source: Customs Statistics of China, 1994.
Before 1991, roundwood import consisted of mainly coniferous species but changes began to take place since 1992. For instance, the proportion of conifers reduced from 88.8% in 1988 sharply down to 35.7% in 1994. Meanwhile, the proportion of hardwood import has soared up rapidly from 11.2% to 64.3% (Table 25).
Table 25 - China's Import of Roundwood 1988-1994, Unit: 1,000 cubic meters
|
Items |
1988 |
1989 |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
Equivalent Annual growth % |
|
Total roundwood import |
10,675 |
6,410 |
4,193 |
4,097 |
4,670 |
3,467 |
3,335 |
-21.5 |
|
Conifer import |
9,484 |
5,650 |
3,474 |
2,491 |
2,225 |
1,519 |
1,191 |
-41.2 |
|
% of conifer import |
88.8 |
88.1 |
82.8 |
60.8 |
47.6 |
43.8 |
35.7 |
- |
|
Hardwood import |
1,191 |
760 |
719 |
1,606 |
2,445 |
1,887 |
2,033 |
9.4 |
|
% of hardwood import |
11.2 |
11.9 |
11,2 |
39.2 |
85.4 |
56.2 |
64.3 |
- |
Source: Customs Statistics of China, 1994.
The coniferous roundwood China imports is mainly from the United States, dominated by Douglas Fir and Hemlock. For instance, the US proportion in China's' import of coniferous roundwood in 1988-1989 was 61.6%. However, due to the high prices for the US products, China's import of coniferous roundwood from Russia and New Zealand have increased in recent years and tend to keep expanding. China's imports of hardwood logs, plywood, veneer and even sawntimber are primarily tropical products. China's import of tropical forest products between 1988 and 1994 is illustrated in Table 26.
Table 26 - China's Import of Tropical Forest Products 1988 - 1994, Unit: 1,000 cubic meters
|
Product |
1988 |
1989 |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
Equivalent Annual growth % |
|
roundwood |
940.4 |
337.1 |
690.6 |
1,394.6 |
1,775.9 |
1,887.3 |
2,032.9 |
13.7 |
|
plywood |
1,199.6 |
827.1 |
1,301.6 |
1,416.7 |
1,423.6 |
1,371.0 |
2,177.2 |
10.4 |
|
veneer |
17.7 |
12.5 |
5,4 |
27.1 |
206.8 |
287.0 |
193.3 |
49.0 |
|
sawntimber |
210.7 |
44.8 |
153.8 |
88.0 |
459.6 |
703.0 |
714.6 |
22.5 |
Source: Customs Statistics of China, 1994.
China's import of tropical hardwood logs are mainly of Parashorea species and other species suitable for plywood production. And Parashorea species roundwood is mainly imported from Malaysia and other tropical hardwoods for veneer production are from western African countries such as Gabon, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea etc. and Papua New Guinea. In addition, some products of valuable tropical species such as Tectona grandis, Phoebe bournei, Bixa orellana, etc. are imported from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, etc.
Thin plywood, mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia, dominates the plywood products China imports. For a long period of time, Indonesian plywood has dominated China's domestic market for imported plywood. However, changes are taking place in recent years: the Malaysian plywood is taking over the market of the Indonesian plywood due to its relatively low, thus competitive, prices. The tropical veneer and sawntimber products China imports are also from Malaysia and Indonesia.
2.6.3.2 Export of Forest Products
China is deficient in timber resources and hence has little export of forest products, especially the resource consuming products such as roundwood, sawntimber and plywood.
In recent years, eucalupt plantations established in provinces such as Guangdong and Hainan are entering into harvested age, large volume of woodchips are being exported to Japan (Table 27).
Table 27 - China's Export of Forest Products 1988-1994
|
Products |
1988 |
1989 |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
|
roundwood (1,000 m3) |
314 |
475 |
91.2 |
135.0 |
237 |
155 |
91.0 |
|
sawntimber (1,000 m3) |
3 |
4 |
86.0 |
98.0 |
923 |
330 |
390.0 |
|
veneer (1,000 m3) |
|
|
2.0 |
4.0 |
72 |
16 |
17.0 |
|
plywood (1,000m3) |
8 |
9 |
21.0 |
21.8 |
238 |
45 |
106.0 |
|
woodchip (1,000 tons) |
|
|
292.0 |
535.0 |
505 |
759.1 |
1,897.7 |
Source: Customs Statistics of China, 1994.
Table 28 - China's Export of Forest Products in 1995
|
Product
|
Volume
|
Value (US$ 1,000)
|
% compared to last year |
|
|
Quantity |
Value |
|||
|
resin |
0.04 tons |
22.51 |
-12.3 |
-2.9 |
|
rosin |
282,600 tons |
166 00 |
-11.3 |
17.5 |
|
woodchip |
1,897,700 tons |
174 00 |
66.1 |
11.8 |
|
conifer timber |
69,900 tons |
722.23 |
1.238.1 |
755.0 |
|
non-conifer timber |
1,837,800 tons |
16700 |
51.7 |
114.0 |
|
charcoal |
26,100 tons |
1,536.54 |
71.6 |
113.0 |
|
roundwood |
97,100 m3 |
4,715.26 |
7.0 |
9.2 |
|
sleeper |
1,200 m3 |
11.94 |
900.8 |
750.3 |
|
sawntimber |
408,000 m3 |
195 00 |
11.5 |
18.6 |
|
veneer |
21,100 tons |
2,801.25 |
70.7 |
83.3 |
|
particleboard |
5,400 tons |
279.84 |
110.3 |
106.8 |
|
fibreboard |
43,800 tons |
1,288.12 |
53.3 |
16.6 |
|
plywood |
129,000 m3 |
3,907.01 |
25.3 |
23.5 |
|
chemical/semichemical wood pulp |
27,000 tons |
1,747.26 |
-84.2 |
-75.6 |
|
waste paper |
15,900 tons |
170.16 |
9.4 |
73.3 |
|
paper and paperboard |
530,000 tons |
|
200.0 |
|
|
furniture* |
|
70037.17 |
|
28.8 |
* Note: Chairs and benches, medical furniture, mattress and bedroom furniture are not included.
Source: Customs Statistics of China, 1995.
China's export of forest products has always been dominated by economic forest products such as walnut, chestnut, Chinese date and bamboo shoots, followed by rosin and other products. But along with the development of the forest products industry and continuous increase of overseas investment, export of value added products, e.g.: paper and furniture, is increasing day by day with a favourable trend of surpassing the old-timers
The serious imbalance of trade in forest products and enormous trade deficit are not only a heavy economic burden for China as a developing country but also grievously hinder the overall economic development. In order to reverse the adverse situation and replace the one-way deficiency-supply trade by a two-way complementary trade, the Chinese government has formulated policies to encourage expansion of forest product export. Key measures to implement such policies include:
(1) Establishing export-oriented forest products production and processing bases. Several export-oriented forest products bases will be established in China by the end of this century which include pulp making base, wood-based panel (plywood, particleboard and MDF) production base, rosin processing base, bamboo processing base, furniture production base and tannin extract making base.(2) Improving structure of forest product export. Establishment of the above-mentioned forest product bases will initiate a transition from the current pattern of export which is dominated by export of raw material and primary products into a new one which will be dominated by export of semi/final products and processed products.
(3) Raising funds from diverse sources. In order to establish the above bases as soon as possible, the Government will raise funds from diverse sources, i.e.: cooperation between forestry and related industrial sectors, between the Central and local governments, between Chinese and overseas counterparts (including overseas investment and international loans).
(4) Restructuring the management system. In order to secure the smooth implementation of the policies and provide a healthy working environment, the management system will be restructured in a phased way. The proposed practice will be: the previous sectoral and local management will be replaced by line management with establishment of sectoral group corporations so as to expand production scale and raise economic benefits.
(5) Adopting incentive and preferential policies. In order to encourage and support the establishment of the forest products bases (especially for the value added products), the government will provide preferential policies for organizations, corporations and enterprises concerned with regard to taxation, use of foreign exchange, import of raw materials and introduction of technologies and equipment.
2.7.1 Status Quo of the Industry
2.7.2 Trend of Development for the Forest Products Industry
4 China carried out the third industrial inventory in 1996, which is completed by now. As far as the forestry industries are concerned, the statistics obtained from this inventory are closer to reality than published figures. Yet, due to some technical problems such as statistical methods, there are still some problems with it, and some errors have been detected already. Since statistics of year 1995 provided by this inventory are greatly different from previous statistics, and more confirmation and checking is necessary, so such figures are not cited in this article.According to information from the national industrial inventory done in 1996, the production volume of China's major forestry products in 1995 is as follows: sawntimber - 41,837,800 m3; wood-based panels - 16,846.000 m3; (of which: plywood - 7,593,000 m3; fiberboard - 1,791,000 m3; including MDF - 537,000 m3; panicle board - 4,350,000 m3; others - 2,738,000 m3).
2.7.1.1 Major Achievements after the Founding of the P.R. China
The forest products industry ill old China was least developed with limited production of sawntimber, plywood and paper making only in a few big cities in north-east China and along the coast. After the founding of the people's Republic of China (in 1949), the forest products industry has experienced rapid development which is highlighted by:
(1) Establishment of a modern industrial system with a full range of products. As far as variety of product is concerned, in addition to sawntimber, plywood and ordinary paper products, production is also underway for fibreboard (MDF included), particleboard (OSB, cement-bonded particleboard and gypsum particleboard included), decorative materials for secondary processing and all kinds of special paper and paperboard products5.(2) Substantial improvement in quality and quantity of products: for instance, China's sawntimber production has increased from 3.437 million cubic meters in 1950 to 12.94 million cubic meters in 1994, plywood production from 16,900 cubic meters in 1951 to 2.606 million cubic meters in 1994, paper and paperboard production from 0.11 million tons in 1949 to 21.38 million tons in 1994, fibreboard and particleboard production from nil to 1.93 million and 1.682 million cubic meters in 1994 respectively. Furthermore, extensive substitution of synthetic resin for protein glue and application of adjustment and control automation in all wood-based panel and pulp and paper production lines have improved quality of related products to a great extent.
(3) Remarkable improvement of production techniques and equipment. Mechanization has been introduced for sawntimber production to set up modern continuous production lines which has reduced the heavy labour work in some major sections of large sawmills. Continuous operation and automation have been introduced in the production of fibreboard, plastic lamination board, paper and paperboard. At present, the above-mentioned production lines mainly composed of introduced sets of equipment have reached the level of the developed countries in the 1980s and quite a few have reached the standard of the developed countries in the 1990s.
(4) Establishment of an independent and complete educational, research and designing system and formation of a competent technical force.
5 Accompanying growth of forest industries has been machine manufacturing. The machinery and equipment manufacturing system has been established for the forest produces industry which can produce not only different kinds of saws, planing machines, milling machines and sanding machines, but also complete production lines for making plywood, particleboard (OSB), fibreboard (MDF), and decorative materials for wood-based panels and pulp and paper making.
2.7.1.2 The Main Aspects of Under-Development Compared to the Industrialized Countries
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, remarkable achievements have been made in China's forest products industry. However, compared to the developed countries and advanced international standards, China still has a long way to go in this regard, which is highlighted in the following aspects:
(1) Low level of per capita consumption of major forest products. The average annual consumption of sawntimber, wood-based panels, paper and paperboards per 1,000 people reaches 77 cubic meters, 24 cubic meters and 45 tons respectively in the world but only 11 cubic meters, 4 cubic meters and 20 tons respectively in China (exports included).(2) Inappropriate structure of timber consumption and product composition. The annual fuelwood consumption still accounts for 28.8% of its total consumption of forest resources and that for industrial timber only 44.2% (not including local self-supply consumption and timber used for sideline production). Of the industrial wood consumption, wood consumption for wood-based panel production is about 14.4 million cubic meters making up merely 16.8% of the industrial wood consumption, and that for paper and paperboard production reaches 7.695 million cubic meters or 9% of the total industrial consumption.
(3) Scattered processing facilities and small production scale. There are about 2,000 sawmills in China each with an average annual capacity of 1,200 cubic meters; over 500 plywood mills (excluding a large number of rural enterprises and specialized rural households) with an annual capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per plant; more than 400 fibreboard (including MDF) plants with an annual capacity of 5,000 cubic meters per plant; over 200 particleboard plants with an annual capacity of less than 10,000 cubic meters; and almost 10,000 paper mills with an annual production capacity of around 3,200 tons.
(4) Backward technologies and out-of-date equipment. The production technology and equipment adopted in most of China's existing forest products enterprises, excluding those having introduced complete sets of equipment, were commonly used by the developed countries in the 1960s and 70s. The technical level of some small business ventures is even lower. Thus, low productivity leads to higher material and energy consumption.
(5) Small proportion of secondary processed products and less variety of products. In sawntimber production, products of ordinary sawmills are usually not sanded or are sold out immediately after the sanding process. Although some large and medium sawmills in urban areas have kiln dryers, low design capacity and ever increasingly scattered sawmilling industry result in limited quantity of sawntimber undergoing kiln drying - less than 30% of the total sawntimber production. Sawntimber drying is restricted to railway sleepers, and a large proportion of urban and rural construction timber and pit props are used without preservation.
Secondary processing of wood-based panels started in the early 1960s, however, low level of overall industrial development has resulted in very slow advancement. Major existing problems in the secondary processing of wood-based panels include: (1) few varieties and poor quality of raw timber materials which have direct impacts on secondary processing; (2) unitary means of processing dominated by decorative treatment with very small proportion of functional treatment; (3) small proportion of secondary processed products with poor quality. Large amount of wood-based panels are put in use without any treatment or with merely simple treatment such as rough lacquering, and secondary processed wood-based panels account for about 20% of the total consumption. Poor quality is characterized mainly by few varieties of lamination materials, unnatural grain patterns and being prone to colour changes.
(6) Low proportion of wood pulp in pulping materials. At present, China's total pulp production has reached 17 million tons, however, wood pulp accounts for merely 10%. Even with imported wood pulp being calculated, the share of wood pulp for paper making accounts for only 14%, whereas in developed countries, over 90% of the paper making materials is wood pulp.
(7) Environmental pollution problems remain to be solved. At present there are still over 400 wet process hardboard factories in China and a large number of small straw pulp factories with an annual capacity under 5,000 tons. Small production scale, backward technologies and equipment have resulted in the pending issue of waste water discharge. In addition, much remains to be done in such fields as dust treatment in sawmilling and blockboard plants, poisonous gas prevention and control in furniture and wood-based panel plants, and noise control for single machines.
2.7.2.1 Population Growth and Economic Development
In accordance with the Proposal on the Outline of the Ninth Five-Year Plan (1996-2000) for National Economic and Social Development and the Long-range Target for the Year 2010 promulgated by the Central Committee of the CPC, the trend is for population in China to be less than 1.3 billion by 2000 and 1.4 billion by 2010.
Economic development in China is now entering a golden period featured by a stable and rapid growth. The goal of social and national economic development by 2010 put forth in the Proposal is to double the gross national product, improve people's living conditions and establish quite complete socialist market economic system; further promote standardization, legislation of the economic management system and its operational system, optimize resource distribution, and improve the overall and technical competence of the national economy so as to achieve sustainable social and economic development.
This means that by early next century, the overall scale of China's national economy will leap forward to the third place in the world's ranking. Although the per capita income is still at the level of the developing countries, China's ranking will be upgraded from the list of low income countries to medium-level income countries.
2.7.2.2 Demand for Major Forest Products
In accordance with the forest products market projection study conducted by experts sponsored by the Ministry of Forestry, wood demand in China will be increasing over the coming 15 years and beyond. By 2000, China's demand is projected to be 164.49 million cubic meters for commercial roundwood and 77.6 million cubic meters for fuelwood. By 2010, the demand will reach 180.11 million cubic meters and fuelwood 77.59 million cubic meters respectively6. In light of China's existing resources, the demand-supply gap excluding fuelwood) will be 45 million cubic meters.
6 Note lack of growth in fuelwood consumption over 10 years (editor).
Demand for wood-based panels will increase to 9-10 million cubic meters by 2000 and 13-14 million cubic meters by 2010, and that for paper and paperboard will be 39.27 million tons and 83.8 million tons respectively (Table 29).
Table 29 - Projection of Demand for Major Forest Products in China between 2000 and 2010
|
Year |
Commercial roundwood (1,000 m3) |
Wood-based panels (1,000 m3) |
Paper & paperboard (1,000 tons) |
|
2000 |
164,490 |
9,000 - 10,000 |
39,272.0 |
|
2010 |
180,110 |
13,000 - 14,000 |
83,801.0 |
Note: Commercial roundwood includes industrial roundwood, local self-supply roundwood and roundwood for sideline operations.
2.7.2.5 The Guiding Ideology and Goal of Development for the Forest Products Industry
(1) Guiding Ideology
· The objective of vigorous development of forest products industry is to meet, to the greatest extent, the needs for forest products to promote the development of the national economy and improve the living conditions of the people.· In the light of the gradual decline in large diameter roundwood resource in the native forest and deficiency of industrial roundwood supply, the future development of the forest products industry will shift from the traditional preference of sawntimber and plywood to priority development of non-veneer wood-based panels and paper products.
· With regard to the materials required for production of non-veneer wood-based panels and the pulp and paper making industries, the former will shift its reliance mainly on logging and processing residues to the primary reliance on fast growing plantations and the small diameter and poor quality roundwood from native forests; and the latter should increase the percentage of wood fibre in pulping materials through priority development of fast growing plantations and utilization of poor quality roundwood from native forests.
· As far as product composition is concerned, development of wood-based panels should give priority to the development of particleboard (including OSB and cement-bonded particleboard) and MDF while restricting the development of wet process hardboard. The priority of development for paper products shall be offset newsprint and magazine paper, kraft box paper, cloth coated white paperboard, and paper for computer, fax, printing and copying, high quality paper products for office use, food packaging, medical service and daily use.
· Product quality index shall get in line with the international practice.
· Layout of production shall be properly designed. Production bases shall shift to wood supplying areas from the traditional preference of cities so as to form the production pattern that the forest areas produce products dominated by roundwood and wood pulp and large and medium-size cities produce mainly secondary processed products and paper products.
· Adjustment of scale of production to pursue the principle of integration of large, medium and small undertakings. In the light of the local level of economic development, efforts shall be made to establish large enterprises with an annual capacity of over 100,000 cubic meters (tons) in cities which are within or close to the forest area with easy access; in inland cities with certain abundance of resources, medium sized enterprises (30,000 - 50,000 cubic meters/tons) shall dominate; and in the remote areas with under developed economy and inconvenient access, priority shall be given to the establishment of small enterprises.
· Production equipment shall be predominantly Chinese made.
· Efforts shall be made to achieve balance of the total import/export trading volume of the forest products.
(2) Goal of development
The overall goal of China's development for the forest products industry to the year 2010 is to establish a sustainable forest products industry system with Chinese characteristics. The main attributes of such a system are:
· The raw material supply base (including wood and non-wood materials) is stable;· The products can meet the demand of the domestic market on the quantity, quality, varieties (excluding plywood and special purpose paper) and specifications of products;
· Technologies and equipment are all domestic products.
· The domestic and overseas environmental criteria are met in manufacture, usage and recycling of products.
· Production and management systems which are in line with Chinese conditions are established.
· With regard to trade in forest products, the current one way trade with imports greatly exceeding exports is replaced by more balanced trade particularly through expansion of non-veneer wood-based panels, paper products and furniture production.
2.8.1 Food and Edible Oil Produced by Woody Plants
2.8.2 Woody Plant Oil, Lacquer and Wax
2.8.3 Flowers and Plants
2.8.4 The Bamboo Industry
2.8.5 Aromatic Forest Plants
2.8.6 Forest Soft Drinks
2.8.7 Traditional Chinese Medicinal Herbs in the Forest Areas
China has rich non-wood forest products of considerable economic value which are indispensable to people's living and social development. Non-wood forest products include two major categories: economic forest products and forest chemicals. Economic forest products are divided into seven categories of fruits, edible woody oil, industrial raw materials, beverages, woody medicinal herbs, spices and bamboo products. Forest chemicals mainly include rosin, turpentine oil, active carbon, tannin, shellac and natural edible pigment.
Economic forests are an important component of China's forest resources and their products are important to national construction and people's living. The development of economic forests not only will boost the growth of national economy and improve dietary structure of the population but also have been proved important for poverty eradication in rural and mountainous areas. Over the past decade, economic forests have grown by over 670,000 hectares annually which accounts for 15% of annual afforestation area with an annual output value of more than RMB 40 billion yuan; the total area has reached 14 million hectares. The product quality has improved greatly and the number of recognized famous and quality goods are increasing. The export of such products reached the of 1 million ton mark in 1992 with earnings of US$ 1.2 billion.
Under the guidance of the policy of reform and opening to the outside world, great achievements have been made in China in the last decade in the production and utilization of non-wood forest products which still has great potential of further development. As far as future development priority is concerned, efforts shall be made, on the basis of summary and integrated studies, to reinforce and improve product quality, develop new series of products and open up new fields so as to further increase the ecological, economic and social benefits. By the year 2000, 45 economic tree species shall be developed and 530,000 hectares of new production sites for famous, special and quality products be set up in 459 counties.
There is a broad and promising future for the development, management and integrated utilization of woody food and edible oil in China. In 1990, the yield of major economic forest products such as chestnut, red date, walnut, oil-tea, almond, hawthorn and ginkgo broke the highest historical record. According to preliminary estimate, the output value for major economic forest products exceeded RMB 4 billion yuan in 1990, which made up 1/4 of China's national gross forestry output value. By now, the total area of economic forests has reached 16 million hectares in China and the annual production of major economic forest products has exceeded 20 million tons. The storage and processing capacity is 10% of the total production. A series of fine processed products have been developed with product export accounting for over 1 million tons earning about US$ 1.2 billion. Economic forest products have become the major export products for China's forestry sector and some products have become people's necessary daily needs and financial sources for revitalizing the economy in the forest areas in some provinces/autonomous regions.
Chestnut is China's major woody food and an essential product for export. The production of chestnut in 1994 was 220,000 tons, while China's annual volume of chestnut export is around 25,000 tons, mostly to Japan. Walnut is China's major forest product export. There are over 1 million hectares of walnut forests in China. The production of walnut in 1994 was 210,000 tons. China's annual volume of walnut export is 47,000 tons, mainly to Europe, Canada and countries and regions in the far-east. Chinese Date is also a main woody food in China with a total area of 240.000 hectares and an annual production of fresh date reaching 400,000 tons. China's annual volume of dry date export is 47,000 tons. Ginkgo is distributed across over 20 provinces/autonomous regions in China with an annual production of over 5,000 tons, mostly for export. Camellia spp. is endemic to China distributing in 15 provinces/autonomous regions with a total area of over 4 million hectares and an annual yield of some 500 tons of tea oil which makes up 8.6% of China's total production of edible vegetable oil. The production of Camellia spp. seeds reached 630,000 tons in 1994.
Many traditional special and by-products fall under this category, such as tung oil, Chinese tallow oil, insect wax, raw lacquer and other woody oil types. Wise development and full utilization of these resources have great significance for revitalizing China's forest economics, satisfying the State's needs and enhancing the country's capacity in export and foreign exchange earning. Chinese tallow tree covers over 200,000 hectares with an annual production of 85,000 tons. Both the area and production of tallow trees in China have dropped a bit in recent years. The production of tallow seeds was only around 40,000 tons in 1994. Every year, China exports small amounts of Chinese tallow products, mostly to European and American countries. Oil tung is one of the main tree species in China producing industrial oil which covers a total area of 1.8 million hectares. Its production in 1994 was 440,000 tons. China's tung oil export has an annual volume of 12,000 tons. Raw lacquer covers a total of 500,000 hectares with an annual production of 3,219 tons (1994). Raw lacquer is a traditional export product, e.g.: 300 tons/year during 1980-1986, mostly to Japan, Hong Kong, Macao and the United Kingdom. China's annual rosin production approaches 400,000 tons and turpentine 46,000 tons with the annual rosin export making up 40-50% of the world's total rosin trade. In southern China's forest areas, the annual resin production is now over 570,000 tons (1994) which has not only provided employment opportunities for 300,000 people but also increased the per capita income up to nearly RMB 2,000 yuan.
The guiding ideology for development of flowers and plants is that the demonstration bases for flower and decorative plants shall be planned as a whole system and the development of such production bases be accelerated. It is planned that, between 1996 and 2000, the cultivation area for flowers and plants will be expanded from the current 11,300 hectares up to 26,300 hectares; 27 demonstration bases will be established managing 191.9 hectares; research activities with regard to flowers and plants shall be improved to raise the level of cultivation. The production capacity of bamboo will reach 33,300 hectares, and the number of demonstration bases will be extended to 52 managing a total area of 266.7 hectares.
In China, there are about 370 bamboo species in 39 genera covering an area of 3.8 million hectares of which Phyllostachys pubescans covers 2.6 million hectares. In 1994, the national bamboo production was 490 million culms. The number of bamboo species, bamboo forest area, and the total national bamboo production accounts for 1/3 of the world's total respectively. China is famed as "the Kingdom of Bamboo".
The emerging bamboo industry composing of the whole process from bamboo cultivation to processing and utilization has taken shape in China. Bamboo utilization has broken through the traditional fields and been extensively used in sectors such as construction, light industry, food processing, packaging and transportation. Bamboo products exceed 1,000 varieties under seven categories including bamboo wood-based panels, bamboo paper making, bamboo summer sleeping mat, bamboo chopsticks, bamboo articles for daily use, bamboo arts and craft, bamboo shoots and bamboo food.
Bamboo forest resources are a unique advantage of China's forestry sector. Development of a bamboo industry based on these resources will not only promote the development of national economy, increasing foreign exchange earning and help people in the bamboo forest areas eradicate poverty and strive for prosperity, but also have great significance for creating a sound ecosystem and environment. Between 1996 and 2000, bamboo cultivation will follow the principle of oriented cultivation with priority to be given to the cultivation of multiple-purpose bamboo forests for construction, fibre and bamboo shoots; a total of 1.933 million hectares of new bamboo forests will be either planted or improved so that the bamboo production will reach 10.207 million tons.
Production of essential oil and extract from the residues of final cutting, thinning and other fragrant materials is also a major aspect of the development and utilization of non-wood forest products in China's forest areas. Litsea cubeba is a major fragrant oil species growing mostly in southern China, over 10,000 hectares in Hunan Province alone. The further processing of the fruits of Litsea cubeba generates great economic benefits. The introduction of Eucalyptus species to China dates back to 100 years ago and the current area of Eucalyptus plantations has reached 670,000 hectares in 16 provinces/autonomous regions. China's annual production of Eucalyptus leaf oil is around 3,000 tons with 1/3 for export mostly to countries such as France and Germany.
There are rich resources for soft drink production in China's forest areas, such as birch sap, seabuckthorn, kiwi fruits, bureji gooseberry, blackberry, amur grape, wild rose, cowberry, Siberian nitraria and pine pollen, etc. Recent development has scored remarkable achievements.
China is rich in the resources of Betula which covers over 10 million hectares with 34 species mostly in north, north-east and south-west China. The Betula sap, apart from domestic sales, are also exported to South Korea and Hong Kong and welcome by the consumers. Seabuckthorn is a wild shrub covering over 1 million hectares in China mostly in the Three-north Region. In recent years, such foreign countries as the USA, Japan and Switzerland have started joint ventures in developing seabuckthorn products. Actinidia chinensis is a major wild fruit in China distributed in 24 provinces/autonomous regions including Henan, Hunan, Sichuan and Jiangxi with an annual production of 300,000 tons.
Forest is a major source for the production of the Chinese traditional medicinal herbs. The major products include: Ginseng, American Ginseng, pilose antler, Tall Gastrodia, Bezoar, Cocos Poria, Eucommia, Roots of Common Baphicacanthus, Ural Licorice, Flower of Lily Magnolia, Chinese Thorowax, Officinal Magnolia, Chinese Wolfberry, Redbark Cinchona, Chinese Magnoliavine, Manyprickle Acanthopanax, Paraspectacular Barberry, Ganoderma, Gardenia and Bear Gallbladder.
Chinese Ginseng is a key product in the production of traditional Chinese medicinal herbs in northern China's forest areas. American Ginseng was introduced to China since 1975 with the current annual production exceeding 50 tons. Japanese Cornel Dogwood is both an economic tree species but also a well-known medicinal herb, distributed in such provinces as Zhejiang, Anhui, Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Sichuan. Deer raising for pilose antlers is a economically valuable undertaking in China's forest areas and product supply cannot meet the market demand.
Forest chemicals industry is an important component of forestry, many forest chemical products such as rosin, activated carbon etc. are important raw materials for light industry and food industry. Since 1949, the development of China's forest chemicals industry has achieved great progress, with an output value reaching RMB 3 billion yuan in 1992, earning a foreign exchange of US$ 180 million. The quality and degree of processing of products have been greatly improved.
Despite of the significant progress, the production of economic forests still falls short of increasing demands for its quantity, quality and variety. The problems of low output both as a whole and on a per capita basis (e.g. fruits per capita being not even one third of the world's average), poor quality, lack of varieties (especially famous and quality products) still exist at present.
Major problems facing forest chemicals industry at present are: lack of raw-material supplying centres, lack of re-processed products, low level of process and backward production techniques, etc..
As far as trend of development is concerned, according to goals raised in the National Guideline for the Reform and Development of China's Food Structure for the 1990s, the per capita consumption of fruits will reach 23 kg. and edible vegetable oil 8 kg. by the year 2000. To realize this, 500 production bases for famous, special and quality commodities will be established by 2000. The area of economic forests nation-wide will reach 21.47 million hectares (with an annual increase of 667,000 hectares), the output 35 million tons (annual increase of 1.8 million tons), the per capita fruit and nut consumption 26.8 kg. (currently 18 kg.). The overall output value for economic forest products is RMB 59 billion yuan.
During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, the famous, special and quality products will be developed under the principle of high yield, high quality and high efficiency to strengthen the capacity of product processing, storage, transport, fresh keeping and foreign exchange earning, increase varieties, output and quality while efforts be also made to develop the wild forest fruit resources. In the Yangtze River valley and southern China's provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities endeavour will be made to develop economic forests dominated by species producing woody oil, industrial raw materials, woody medicinal herbs, tropical and subtropical fruits, and spices. Economic forests dominated by woody food and dry and fresh fruits species will be established in provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities along the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, priority shall be given to the development of 10 major economic forest development zones, 100 pilot plots and 500 production bases for famous, special and quality products falling under 5 categories of woody food and edible oil, industrial raw materials, fresh and dry fruits, spices and woody medicinal herbs. It is planned to accomplish 754,000 hectares of base development. Between 2001 and 2010, another 500 base counties are planned to be established so as to set up economic forests production bases which have multiple species, multiple varieties, high quality and highly beneficial production series with advanced world standard.
Forest energy is a traditional source of energy for the Chinese people which has relatively low cost and is of immediate benefit. It is a daily use energy indispensable in the large expanse of rural China, the hilly and mountainous areas in particular. The current annual total fuelwood consumption in rural China is about 250 million tons accounting for 24.2% of the total annual energy consumption in rural China or about 34% of the total annual consumption of energy for living in rural China.
China is a country badly short of fuelwood resources. Vigorous development of fast growing, high heat value and multi-purpose fuelwood species and increasing the area of fuelwood forests are among the major measures to be adopted for solving the difficulty of rural energy and realization of returning crop straw back to the field. Major problem in the development of fuelwood forests is that fuelwood supply falls short of demand and the gap is large with serious consequences.
China is a country with limited forests, the per capita share of the forest area is less than 0.13 hectares and the fuelwood forest accounts for nearly 37.2%. The existing fuelwood forests can supply 24 million tons of fuelwood comparing to the total actual fuelwood consumption of 252 million tons in rural China. About 228 million tons of fuelwood are collected by cutting timber forest, protection forest and "four-side" plantings and excessive logging of the forest as a whole. The national annual actual fuelwood consumption accounting for 100 million cubic meters or 30% of the national annual consumption of forests becomes a major factor leading to the large consumption of forest resources. Survey and studies of Lanzhou Institute of Desert under the Chinese Academy of Sciences also show that overcutting for fuelwood has become a leading factor for desertification in China.
In the last 15 years, a total of 4.9727 million hectares of fuelwood forests have been planted in China which constitute a group of fuelwood production bases and have played a significant role in mitigating the shortage of rural energy. In order to keep in line with the overall development of the rural economy, the Ministry of Forestry worked out a forest energy project which plans to carry out planting and afforestation activities in wood-deficient areas to increase the area of forest energy bases by 12 million hectares, and establish a properly distributed and wisely structured forest energy system. Fuelwood forest development and expansion of the fuelwood resource is a major means of mitigating fuelwood supply deficiency, shortage of rural energy and overcoming the difficulty of rural fuels.
At present in China, except in few provinces/autonomous regions, fuelwood forest has a too-low percentage. In this connection, during the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, fuelwood forests shall be duly developed in all areas which are suitable for establishment of fuelwood forests. Top priority shall be given to the fuelwood development in fuelwood-deficit hilly and low mountainous areas, coastal areas in southern China and the semi-arid areas in the Three-north Region. During the Ninth Five-Year Plan period, some 3 million hectares of fuelwood forests shall be developed throughout the country, with priority to be given to development of the trial counties for fuelwood development which will increase the total area of fuelwood forests by 2.1 million hectares. Between 2001-2010, another 10 million hectares of fuelwood forests shall be established so as to satisfy basically the demand of fuelwood for energy consumption by the urban and rural residents.
China boasts of vast forest areas, with many beautiful landscapes formed by forests and peculiar land form as well as topography, and a great deal of historical and cultural relics distributed over the land, fostering a great potential for development,
Since 1982, forestry departments at different levels have incorporated the utilization of forest landscape resources and the establishment of forest parks into the overall planning for forestry development. By year 1994, about 700 forest parks had been established over the whole country, 19 international hunting grounds and 1 forest recreation area were also established. A complete service system incorporating food, accommodation, travelling, sightseeing, shopping and entertainment has been initially formed in these forest parks, which have received a total of about 0.2 billion visits of Chinese and foreign tourists, earning 1 billion yuan from forest tourism. In 1994 alone, the number of people visiting forest parks exceeded 40 million visits. China International Forest Travel Service, the first of its kind in China specialized in forest tourism, was established in 1994. By the end of 1995, over 700 forest parks of various types had been set up over the whole country. About 60 million visits of Chinese and foreign tourists were received in 1995 alone, earning over 0.5 billion yuan.
The proper establishment of forest parks, and development of forest tourism can induce direct economic benefits, increase employment opportunities in forest areas, mitigate the economic difficulty of forest areas, and promote the development of forestry. They can also facilitate the conservation of forest resources, increase forest ecological benefits, enhance people's environmental conservation and "greening" awareness.
The Chinese government is planning further development of new forest landscape resources, development of key forest parks with high standards, going on developing national forest tourist zones and new forest tourist routes, developing forest parks and forest tourism into major industries of forestry. The Chinese government is planning to speed up the development process of forest tourism, urban forestry and landscape forestry during the Ninth Five-Year Plan period (1996-2000). It is also planning to establish 400 new forest parks, 80 of which are of national level. The emphasis will be laid on strengthening of infrastructure construction, establishing forest tourist hotels and restaurants of proper scale, initially forming China's forest tourism system; developing tourism with special features and expansion of influence to attract Chinese and foreign tourists.
With the development of forest tourism, the development of relevant trade and service industries will be promoted, providing a big market for tourist commodities with forest characteristics and local special products. It is expected that by the year 2000, the total number of forest parks all over China will reach 1000, covering a management area of 9 million ha.; people going for forest tours will reach 0.1 billion visits, bringing an income of 9.5 billion yuan, and $0.5 billion of foreign exchange from tourism. By the year 2010, it is expected that the total number of forest parks all over China will reach 2000, with a management area of 19 million ha., of which 100 national forest parks will reach the international advanced level. It is hoped that 0.2 billion visits of tourists will be received every year, of which 2.0 million visits are foreign tourists, realizing the goal of an income of over RMB 30 billion yuan from forest tourism.
Strengthening of research in basic forestry science and applied technology, vigorous development of forestry education, implementation of professional training and training of special personnel in the whole forestry sector is an important condition and guarantee for the Chinese government to promote the strategy of developing forestry through science and technology and sustainable forestry development strategy.
The Ministry of Forestry has organized and implemented the strategy of developing forestry through science and technology, issued the Forestry Vitalization Programme Through Science and Technology, implemented the running mechanism of production, planning and finance jointly promoting the transformation of research achievements. The system of combining scientific research with development is progressing; the content of science and technology in forest products is gradually increasing.
As of now, a scientific and technological information network and three scientific and technological systems of scientific research, extension and technical supervision have been initially formed nation-wide. Altogether 248 forestry scientific research agencies above prefecture level have been established over the whole country, 81 research sections have been set up in forestry colleges and universities. There are 200,000 technical staff in forestry enterprises and institutions; 2,157 forestry technical extension agencies above the county level have been set up, with 28,711 professional technical extension staff, initially forming a nation-wide forestry technical extension network. Furthermore, 185 technical supervision agencies of various types have been set up while 13 provinces and autonomous regions have set up forestry scientific and technological information centres.
The infrastructure development of forestry science and technology has been strengthened: 29 key laboratories have been set up, covering all subjects of the secondary level forestry science and 60% of the tertiary level forestry science. The State Education Commission has set up 1 key laboratory in the forestry sector. The State Planning Commission and the State Science and Technology Commission have established 2 national engineering centres in the forestry sector. The Ministry of Forestry has set up 11 stations for long term research on forest ecosystems, and has strengthened development of quality control, increased investment, upgraded instruments and facilities.
Forestry scientific research has achieved major progress and important achievements. During the Eighth Five-Year Plan period, the Ministry of Forestry was responsible for 93 special topic researches of 8 subjects and 2 projects which are namely: Study on the Oriented Cultivation Techniques of Industrial Timber Forests with Short Rotation Cycles, Study on the Ecological Forestry Engineering Technical System. The total investment was 80.5 million yuan, with 738 scientific research, teaching and production agencies and 3,421 instances of technical staff participating in the studies, setting up 639 experimental and demonstration bases, 5,240 ha. of experimental and demonstration forests, obtaining 159 research achievements, of which 129 have already been applied in production and development, creating an economic benefit of 1.289 billion yuan. Over the 5 years, the Ministry of Forestry set up 187 items for research, investing about 20 million yuan; 1,235 achievements in science and technology were obtained in the country's forestry sector, of which 88 have won national awards for scientific and technological progress and national invention awards, 615 have won awards for scientific and technological progress of the ministry.
The extension of forestry research achievements has been very effective: 100 advanced achievements are selected every year to be organized for implementation by the Ministry of Forestry and local levels by different groups. During the Eighth Five-Year Plan period, 203 research achievements of various types were organized to be developed and promoted, 34 experimental demonstration zones for the development of forestry science and technology were set up. A direct economic benefit of 400 million yuan has been obtained from demonstration zones of extension, 1 billion yuan has been earned from technical extension, over US$ 20 million of foreign exchange has been obtained from products entering the international market. Apart from these, the Ministry of Forestry has formulated and started the Mountain Vitalization Programme, to improve the forestry technical development demonstration system.
The training capability of forestry education has been enhanced. There are 35,000 forestry college and university students at school in China in 1995, and over 51,000 students in secondary specialized forestry schools, forming a training network in China's forestry sector.
The on-job training system has been gradually established and improved. The Post Norms for Forestry Officials and the forestry section of the Criteria for Workers' Technical Grades of the People's Republic of China were formulated, including 486 official post certificate systems. At the same time, major efforts should be made to strengthen training of practical techniques and basic skills for forest farmers. The on-job training will be gradually standardized and made systematic.
China's forestry institutions are set up at five levels, namely: the Ministry of Forestry in the central government; forestry (agricultural and forestry) departments of provinces/autonomous regions/municipalities; forestry bureaux of prefectures/cities; forestry bureaux of counties/banners/cities; and forestry stations of townships/towns.
The Forest Law of the People's Republic of China was formally promulgated on September 20, 1984. By year 1994, China had formulated and promulgated 4 forestry laws, regulations and legal documents, 4 forestry administrative regulations, over 60 sectoral regulations and over 200 local forestry by-laws and governmental regulations.
(1) The Forest Law of the People's Republic of China
On September 20, 1984, the Seventh Meeting of the Sixth Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) held discussions, approved and formally promulgated the Forest Law of the People's Republic of China. With the approval of the State Council, the Ministry of Forestry promulgated the Regulations for Implementing the Forest Law of the People's Republic of China on May 10, 1986.
The Forest Law of the People's Republic of China has altogether 42 Articles in 7 Chapters including General Provisions, Forest Management, Forest Protection, Tree Planting and Afforestation, Forest Felling, Legal Responsibilities and Supplementary Articles, setting up a code of conduct for forestry administrative management agencies at different levels and forest owners, managers and utilizers.
The Forest Law of the People's Republic of China especially stipulates that the following protective measures should be implemented for forest resources:
· implement logging quotas on forests, encourage planting and afforestation, mountain closure, expand the area covered by forests;· provide economic support or long-term loans for collective and individual afforestation and forest tending, in line with relevant regulations of the state and local people's governments;
· collect forest tending fee which is to be used especially for afforestation and forest tending;
· a certain amount of money will be collected from coal and paper making sectors according to the yield of their products to be especially used in the establishment of timber forests producing pit props and raw materials for paper making;
· establish a forestry fund system.
(2) Law of Water and Soil Conservation of the People's Republic of China
On June 29, 1991, the 20th Meeting of the 7th Standing Committee of the NPC approved and formally promulgated the Law of Water and Soil Conservation of PRC. With the approval of the State Council, the Ministry of Forestry issued the regulations for implementing this law in August, 1993.
The Law of Water and Soil Conservation of the PRC has altogether 42 Articles in 6 Chapters, which are General Provisions, Prevention, Treatment, Supervision, Legal Responsibilities and Supplementary Articles. As the highest level law of China's laws and regulations on soil and water conservation, it clearly stipulates the responsibility for China's soil and water conservation undertaking is with water resources administrative line agencies above the county level; cultivation on steep slopes is forbidden; tree felling should be appropriate with simultaneous formulation of soil and water conservation measures for the felling area; the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report of economic construction projects should have a soil and water conservation plan approved by water resources administrative line agencies; encourage collective agricultural economic organizations and farmers in the areas suffering from soil and water erosion to carry out treatment of the land, implement supporting policies in the aspects of fund, energy, food and taxation, etc.; barren mountains, ditches, hills and shore land can be contracted by collective agricultural economic organizations (individual farmers or joint households) for treatment of areas suffering from soil and water erosion, with the state protecting the legal rights and benefits of people concerned.
(3) Regulations on the Protection of Terrestrial Wildlife
On February 12, 1992, the State Council approved this Regulation and instructed the Ministry of Forestry to promulgate and implement it. The "terrestrial wildlife" referred to in the Regulation includes legally protected precious, endangered, and beneficial terrestrial wildlife with important economic and scientific research value; "wildlife products" refers to any part or derivative of terrestrial wildlife. This Regulation includes 46 Articles of 7 Chapters: General Provisions, Wildlife Conservation, Management of Wildlife Hunting, Management of Wildlife Taming and Breeding, Management of Wildlife Utilization, Awards and Punishment and Supplementary Articles.
The Regulation stipulates that hunting and killing of key national protected wild animals are forbidden; a system of applying for special hunting permits and a taming and breeding permit system for key protected wild animals will be implemented; selling and buying of key national protected wild animals or their products on markets are forbidden.
(4) Provisional Regulations on Forest Management
This Regulations is a government decree formally promulgated by the Ministry of Forestry, and started to be implemented on August 13th, 1993. This Regulations includes 34 Articles of 6 Chapters which are General Rules, Management of Forest Land Ownership, Forest Protection and Utilization, Management of Occupying and Requiring Forest Land, Awards and Punishment, Supplementary Articles, The Regulations clearly stipulate that the major tasks of responsible forestry agencies and local forest land management and supervision agencies are implementing and executing relevant national and local laws, regulations and policies concerning forest land management:
· responsible for inventory and statistics on forest land, monitor consumption and growth of forests;· responsible for formulation, supervision and implementation of plans for forest land conservation and utilization;
· responsible for registration and change of forest land ownership and for managing forest land records;
· review and approve matters relevant to the requiring of forest land, supervise and manage the collection and utilization of compensation fee for forest trees and forest land, settlement and subsidy fee and fee for rehabilitation of forest vegetation;
· supervise and inspect the situation of forest land conservation, management and utilization, help solve relevant problems;
· responsible for investigating administrative cases of illegal occupation and damage of forest land, illegal utilization of forest land, forbid illegal activities of damaging forest land.
This decree also clearly forbids grazing, fuelwood collection, hunting and productive management activities other than forestry in afforested land and young forest land which have not formed forests, and mountain closure areas. Cultivation on forest land on steep slopes greater than 25 degrees for growing agricultural crops is forbidden and already cultivated land should be returned for forestry use within a limited period.
(5) Urban Greening Regulations
This Regulation was signed and issued to be implemented by Premier of the State Council on June 22, 1992. The Regulation includes 34 Articles of 5 Chapters which are General Rules, Planning and Construction, Conservation and Management, Punishment and Supplementary Articles.
The Regulation clearly stipulates that planning for urban greening should be incorporated into the overall urban planning; area of land for urban greening in proportion to the population and area of the city should be wisely arranged; planning indexes for per capita urban public green land and coverage of green land should be formulated. The Regulation also stipulates detailed punishment methods for actions of damaging urban trees, flowers and grass, arbitrary occupation of urban green land, units or individuals carrying out commercial activities on urban public green land without authorization.
(6) Regulations of the PRC on Nature Reserves
The State Council formally promulgated and implemented Regulations of the PRC on Nature Reserves on October 9, 1994. The Regulation includes 44 Articles of 5 Chapters which are General Rules, Development of Nature Reserves, Management of Nature Reserves, Legal Responsibilities and Supplementary Articles.
This Regulation clarifies that nature reserves refer to areas under special protection and management which are set aside from land, terrestrial water body or ocean according to law, with the location of protected objects such as representative natural eco-systems, natural concentration and distribution areas of precious and endangered wild fauna and flora species and natural relics with special significance etc..
The Regulation divides a nature reserve into core zone, buffer zone and experimental zone; activities such as felling, grazing, hunting, fishing, herb collection, cultivation, burning grass on waste land, mining, stone collection and sand digging etc. are forbidden. It is also forbidden for anyone to enter the core zone of the nature reserves. The Regulation also stipulates detailed punishment methods for agencies and individuals violating the above regulations.
(7) Regulations on Forest Park Management
On January 22, 1994, the Minister for Forestry signed and issued Regulations on Forest Park Management. The Regulations clarify that forest parks refer to places of a certain scale with beautiful forest landscape, concentrated natural landscapes and cultural landscapes, which can be used for tourism, rest or scientific, cultural and educational activities. The Regulations divides forest parks into three levels: national forest parks, provincial level forest parks, city and county level forest parks. This Regulations also stipulates that agencies and individuals harming forest and wild fauna and flora resources in forest parks will be penalised according to relevant laws and regulations.
(8) Detailed Rules for the Implementation of Plant Quarantine Regulations (Forestry Part)
The Minister for Forestry signed and issued this Regulation on July 26, 1994. The Rules stipulate: the system of Forest Plants Quarantine Staff Certificate and the system for the signing and issuance of Plant Quarantine Certificates will be implemented.
The Rules points out that forest plants and their products which should be quarantined include: forest tree seeds, seedlings and other propagation materials: arbour, shrub, bamboo, flower and other forest plants; timber, bamboo, medicinal herbs, fruits, bonsai and other forest products.
