Some 36 million jobs will be created in the areas of forestation, forest tourism, wildlife breeding, and flower and medicinal herb plantations, Jia Zhibang, head of the State Forestry Administration, said yesterday.

Speaking at a symposium organized by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Conference on population, resources and environment development, Jia said working in forestry and related activities is a good option for unemployed people in rural areas.

Of the country's 2.5 billion mu (167 million hectares) of forest land, 1.8 billion mu are yet to be contracted to farmers, he said.

(China Daily December 23, 2008)