With an overall investment of 183.5 million yuan (US$22 million), the project was designed to plant 67.64 million hectares of fast-growing trees and 131.12 million ha. of commercial forest in 16 counties.

Tian Qingbin, deputy director of the Forestry Bureau of Shandong provincial government, said the that the World Bank contributed 92.21 million yuan (US$11 million) to the project.

Previously, Shandong had utilized a total of US$20.435 million worth of funding support in two afforestation projects from the bank since 1990.

The funding support has enabled the province to plant fast- growing trees on more than 130,000 ha..

The projects had curbed the decline of the acreage of fast- growing forestry, which was of great ecological and economic value and helped to improve conditions for farming, Tian said.

(eastday.com December 6, 2002)