Qingdao, a coastal city in east China's Shandong Province, plans to set up seven wetland reserves in the coming 10 years, with areas totaling 61,090 hectares, said the municipal forestry department.

Qingdao has a coastline of 730 kilometers and 70 islets, which leave the city vast beach land area of 37,500 hectares, the source said, adding that the city has 224 rivers and over 30 reservoirs.

Preliminary statistics showed that Qingdao has wetlands in 16 types under 5 categories with an area totaling 177,760 hectares, or 16 percent of the city's total land areas.

The planned 7 wetland protection zones to be developed in the coming 10 years is expected to cover 6 percent of the city's total land areas, the source said, with focuses placed in the river mouth of Daguhe and the estuaries of Jiaozhouwan, Haiqingwan and lingshanwan.

Three lake-type wetland reserves will also be included in the development list, the source added.

(Xinhua News Agency July 27, 2005)