The International Friendship Forest at the foot of Badaling Great Wall, Beijing, recently opened to visitors.   

Covering an area of 133 hectares, the tourist forest is located to the west of the Great Wall.

Initiated by US-China Environmental Fund in 1994, the forest was constructed over 10 years using 5 million yuan (about US$603,900) provided by ConocoPhillips Corporation as start-up capital. ConocoPhillips also pledged to spend 100,000 yuan (about US$12,000) annually for maintenance over the next 10 years.

(CRI October 31, 2003)