The number of China's nature reserves will reach 1,800 by 2010, covering a combined area of 155 million hectares, or 16.14 percent of the country's total land area, sources with the State Forestry Administration said today.

According to a blueprint of the country, China will make great efforts to build more nature reserves, including wetland protection projects and monitoring centers for wild animals and plants.

So far, China has established 1,276 nature reserves of various kinds, covering 123 million hectares of land, accounting for 12.44 percent of the country's land area.

All these reserves have protected the rare animals and plants and their habitats in the country.

(People’s Daily 04/23/2001)