China to Plant 32,400 Sq Miles of Trees to Battle Pollution
A large regiment from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, along with some of the nation’s armed police force, have now been re-assigned from their duties to plant trees and increase the country’s forest coverage.
Over 60,000 Chinese soldiers and military personnel have now been tasked with planting at least 84,000 square kilometers (32,400 square miles) of trees during 2018. That’s roughly the size of Ireland.
According to Zhang Jianlong, head of China’s State Forestry Administration, China’s forest coverage could reach even 26 percent by 2035. “Companies, organizations, and talent that specialize in greening work are all welcome to join in the country’s massive greening campaign,” he said. “Cooperation between government and social capital will be put on the priority list.”
The armed police force has a specially designated forestry branch to patrol and exercise jurisdiction in forested areas such as the northeastern Greater Khingan mountain range – dubbed ‘China’s green lungs’ – in Heilongjiang and Inner Mongolia provinces.
Heavily polluted Hebei province, which encircles Beijing, has pledged to raise its total forest coverage to 35% by the end of 2020, and the bulk of the troops pulled back from the frontlines will be dispatched there
for afforestation in a province that is seen as the major culprit in producing the fumes and smog that blanket not only Beijing but also large parts of northern China in cold seasons, the Asia Times reported.
While an additional two percent of forest will certainly help, it probably won’t change China’s air quality all that much. Not on its own, anyway; but that’s where other endeavors like the aforementioned diesel car ban and push for renewable energy come into play.
