The State Forestry Administration (SFA) has approved 33 new national forest parks cross the country to protect natural resources and help tourism, the SFA said on Tuesday.

 

 

The additions brought the number of national forest parks to 660, covering a total of 11.24 million hectares, according to the SFA.

 

The SFA planned to establish more forest parks in the future to boost forest tourism.

 

China's forest parks received 200 million visitors last year, and the number is expected to double by 2010.

 

From 2001 to 2005, China invested 27.8 billion yuan (US$3.5 billion) on the construction of forest parks.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2007)