China to turn 800,000 hectares of marginal farmland into forests or grassland

2017-03-05 11:43 Xinhua Editor: Mo Hong'e

China will turn more than 800,000 hectares of marginal farmland into forests or grassland this year, a government work report said Sunday.[Special coverage]

China will begin to pilot projects to improve the quality of forests and restore ecosystems along the Yangtze Economic Belt, according to the report to be delivered by Premier Li Keqiang at the opening meeting of the parliament's annual session.

It said China will launch the second group of trial projects to conserve the ecosystems of mountains, forests, farmland, rivers and lakes.

The government will act promptly to set redlines for ecological conservation and hold firm to these lines, the report said.

In addition, chemical oxygen demand and ammonia nitrogen emissions should both drop by two percent this year, so as to strengthen the prevention and control of water and soil pollution, it added.