Shen Junfeng (L), Party secretary of Rudong county, Nantong, Jiangsu province plants trees with officials of the county on March 12. [Photo/Rudong Daily]

Rudong county in Nantong, Jiangsu province will plant 6,000 mu (400 hectares) of trees and establish 15 demonstrative villages for greening, according to a report in Rudong Daily on March 12.

Township governments across the county are being urged to organize volunteers to plant 850,000 trees this year alone.

The county has already planted more than 20,000 trees, taking the total area of newly-planted greenery to 300 mu.

Major efforts have been made to encourage farmers and companies to plant trees that create economic value, such as the fruit trees that were planted last year. 

The local government has also worked to encourage people with gardens to plant their own trees, and to take part in voluntary tree-planting activities.

Liao Guicheng, vice-director of the fruit and forest station under the county's department for natural resources, claimed that as of the end of last year, Rudong had forest coverage of 520,000 mu, with the forest coverage rate hitting 24.78 percent.

According to Liao, Rudong will promote tree planting along the expressways, national and provincial roads and build more coastal protection forests this year.

Development of provincial forest parks and protection for rare trees will also be promoted. 

Volunteers plant trees in Rudong county on March 10. [Photo by Jiang Xinwen and Ji Xiangting/Rudong Daily]