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

Covering an area of 133 hectares (1.33 million square meters), the tourist forest is located to the west of the Great Wall.

It serves as a conservation buffer zone to help protect the natural and cultural resources of the Great Wall. Intensive planting of native trees and plants will help restore the ecology of the area.

The park's cultural program tells the story of Badaling's past and present. Visitors will be able to appreciate the beautiful scenery of Badaling while learning about the area's natural history.

Initiated by US-China Environmental Fund in 1994, the forest was developed over 10 years.

(Shenzhen Daily November 4, 2003)