Tibet's forest coverage hits 11.31%

　　Photo shows a primitive forest in Gyirong Township, southwestern Tibet‘s Xigaze Prefecture. (Photo Source: ctibet.org.cn)

　　BEIJING, Sept. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Tibet‘s forest coverage has risen to 11.31 percent, up 1.47 percent over the figure released in the fifth survey of forest resources in 2000, according to Li Yucai, deputy director of the State Forestry Administration.

　　Statistics show that since 2001, Tibet has afforested 247,333 ha, brought under control desertified areas of 42,666 ham and regularly taken care of 1.2 million ha of natural forests and 10.13 million ha of ecological forests for public welfare.

　　Focusing on wildlife and wetland protection, Tibet has also established 19 nature reserves, covering a combined area of 403,100 sq km, or 32.82 percent of the region‘s landmass.

　　Meanwhile, the development of forestry has benefited Tibet‘s rural residents and other sectors of the economy.

　　Since the 10th Five-Year Plan began in 2001, farmers and herdsmen in Tibet have garnered 1.42 billion yuan (17 million U.S. dollars) in income by undertaking various projects such as turning some farmland into forests and building nature reserves.

　　Thanks to an annual forestry compensation fund of 760 million yuan from the Central Government, each Tibetan rural resident will be offered an extra income of 342 yuan a year.

　　By the end of 2008,870,000 rural residents from 172,000 households had moved into their newly-built houses resulting from a housing project that involved the use of 1.05 million cu m of timber.