Jiangxi Province in east China has decided to give awards to encourage the development of nature reserves and forest parks.

The provincial government will award 200,000 yuan (US$24,700) to the administration of a new state-level nature reserve, and 100,000 (US$12,350) to one at the provincial level.

The development of forest parks at state or provincial levels will be given 100,000 yuan or 50,000 yuan.

The provincial forestry department has also adopted an appraisal and grading system to step up the protection and administration of the province's nature reserves and forest parks.

The nature reserves or forest parks which fail to pass appraisal for three times consecutively will be degraded or be deprived of their titles of nature reserves or forest parks, the department said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 24, 2005)