The ancient city of Luoyang in central China's Henan Province plans to improve local environment by encircling the city in trees in the next three to five years.

To the west of Luoyang, a tourist destination renowned as the capital of several ancient Chinese dynasties, 6,000 mu (400 hectares) of trees have been planted to form a forest park.

To the north, the city will plant 3,600 mu (240 hectares) in trees this year, a big rise compared with the 1,000 mu (66.6 hectares) planted in 2002.

Afforested areas to the south of the city had risen to 8,000 mu(some 533 hectares) by the end of last year.

The city is also turning farmland at hillsides into woodland as part of efforts to build an ecological barrier, which is expected to help protect urban areas from sandstorms.

(People's Daily March 11, 2003)