With an overwhelming majority, the Shanghai Municipal People's Congress passed a regulation on Wednesday to rescue its already diminishing numbers of ancient and rare trees.

Shanghai officials have determined that the number of ancient trees is dwindling - statistics indicate that Shanghai has now only 211 trees which are more than 300 years old. Many have died due to natural disasters and war.

Vigorous urban construction and human vandalism and destruction have also caused the rapid disappearance of these ancient trees.

In the past decade, about 100 old and rare trees were cut to give way to construction or due to a lack of care.

"As the city's old regulation didn't name any punishment for the destruction of trees, it just fostered such irresponsible behavior," said Lin Qingshan, a high ranking official from the congress. Today legislators are far stricter.

The regulation stipulates that construction should give way to the protection of old trees.

Those who chop a tree of a rare and precious species, or one that is more than 300 years old, would be imposed a maximum fine of 300,000 yuan (US$36,140). Those who destroy them - such as peeling the skin, breaking the branches or carving into the trunks - will be fined a maximum of 3,000 yuan (US$361.4).

The regulation also demands that relevant government sectors make inspections at least once every three months of ancient trees. A special fund towards the protection of ancient trees will also be set up.

(China Daily July 27, 2002)