Northeast China's Liaoning Province has launched a large afforestation program funded with loans from the World Bank.

The project involves a total investment of more than 100 million yuan (US$12 million), which is almost equally divided between the World Bank and domestic loans.

Under the program, the fourth in the province involving World Bank loans, more than 20,000 hectares of land will be afforested in the next six years.

The program is aimed at alleviating the timber shortage caused by the prohibition of felling trees in the locality, and increasing the income of local farmers.

So far, 556 villages in eight counties in the province have been selected to join the program, which is expected to yield a production value of US$158 million and reap a net profit of US$92 million on completion.

(People's Daily March 12, 2003)