Taiyuan Nears Goal of Becoming National Forest City

West Mountain in Taiyuan is enveloped in green, Aug 9. [Photo from Taiyuan Daily]

After nearly three years of effort, Taiyuan, capital of North China's Shanxi province, is approaching its goal of becoming a national forest city, with the forest coverage rate reaching 40.96 percent. 

The city has afforested more than 1,253 square kilometers, restored 5.9 sq km of mountain areas, and built 230 kilometers of tourist roads around the East and West Mountains and 30 forest parks. 

It has built 19 parks, 140 gardens and 169 street green spaces. Eighty-five percent of roads in the city are lined with trees. 

The construction of urban greenways has also made progress, with the 230-km-long mountain tourist road and 73-km riverside bicycle lane along Fenhe River covered by 7 sq km of greenery. 

Taiyuan has also carried out comprehensive renovation of highways and railways by adding 30 meters of protective forest belts on both sides and 0.5 sq km of protective green space. In addition, eight riverside roads have been lined with added 3 sq km of greenery. 

The rate of green space in the built-up area of Taiyuan has reached 39.64 percent, and the city's green coverage rate is 44.77 percent, with per capita park green space measuring in at 12.75 square meters.

Posts related to creating a national forest city have attracted over 3 million views on the WeChat applet Tree Planting Code, which has 7,500 registered users and 100 institutions and donated CNY 1.34 million ($198,202.78) for volunteer tree planting.

Swans rest in Shuangta Park in Taiyuan. [Photo from Taiyuan Evening News]

This year, Taiyuan will invest CNY 1.36 billion afforesting over 294 sq km.

In addition, each district in the city will build five gardens and five green spaces, and each industrial park will add one garden or green space, so as to ensure that the urban per capita park green space will increase to 12.85 sq m and the urban green space rate will reach 40 percent by the end of the year.