China's total forested area increased by 16.0 million hectares from 2000 to 2003 to reach 175 million hectares, the State Forestry Administration announced in Beijing on Tuesday.

The data come from a five-year study that ran from 1999 to 2003. It was the nation's most complete survey of forestry ever conducted, although five less comprehensive surveys had been completed in the past.

More than 20,000 scientists and forestry workers were mobilized to conduct a nationwide inventory of forest coverage, using satellite imaging and monitoring technologies as well as on-site observations. The government budgeted 610.0 million yuan (US$73.7 million) to gather data concerning accumulation, composition, distribution, growth and consumption as well as the influence of forests on the environment.

In 2003, the total forest coverage rate was 18.2 percent, up from 16.6 percent in 2000.

Forest quality also improved. The average number of plants per hectare increased by 72, and broadleaf and broadleaf-conifer mixed areas increased 3 percent. The area of shelterbelt and special-purpose forest increased 21 percent.

Some 20.3 percent of forested areas and 41.1 percent of young growth are privately owned.

However, the survey also revealed a number of problems:

China's forest coverage rate is only 61.5 percent of the global average, and its world ranking in terms of coverage is 130. The average forested area per person is only 1,320 square meters, less than one-fourth of the global average, and the country's world ranking in this regard is 134.

Distribution is unbalanced. The coverage rate in eastern China is 34.3 percent; in the central region, 27.1 percent; and in western China, just 12.5 percent. The five northwestern provinces and autonomous regions account for 32.2 percent of China's total land area, but contain only 5.9 percent of the nation's forests.

Deforestation remains a big problem, with 10.1 million hectares being improperly used or used as non-forest land. An average of 739,400 hectares are converted into non-forest land every year.

Uncontrolled logging occurs frequently, with some 75.5 million cubic meters of trees cut illegally every year.

(China.org.cn by Wang Sining and Li Shen, January 19, 2005)