With a total area of 6,500 hectares, the three zones are expected to provide satisfactory living space for a dozen Ciconia Nigra found in the province.

Only about 1,000 such birds are known to survive in China.

Officials in the provincial forestry bureau said the three zones were established with the incentive of local residents, as opposed to most nature reserves which are state-run.

Instead of being administered by government departments, they will be managed by local residents, who financed the zones, in accordance with local rules. Subsidies will be provided by the local government.

Experts believe that though smaller than nature reserves, the protection zones, through their collected efforts, may also contribute to improvement of the local environment.

It is learnt that Hebei will set up ten protection zones of different kinds this year and the number is expected to reach 100 by 2005.

(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2003)