CITY OASIS: The Olympic Forest Park, the largest artificial green area of Beijing, is ready to welcome guests from all over the world (JIANG XIAOYING)

"We've already fulfilled our commitment for the green Olympics," said Cao Qingyao, Spokesman of the State Forestry Administration at a press conference on June 17. The meeting was held in Yanqing County, a county in the surburbs of Beijing that is 78 km northwest to the urban area. It used to be a place with inclement natural conditions and barren mountains.

Since 2000, a forestation project has been launched to re-green Yanqing. Beishan Hill, which stretches for 20 km, used to be a bald mountain. After six years of forestation it was transformed into beautiful scenery.

The barren beach of Longqing Valley, 8 km north to Yanqing County, which occupies 1,067 hectares, used to be a source of sand storms blowing through Beijing due to its low plant cover. Starting from 2002, the local government began to conduct a comprehensive transformation project of the area. The whole project was divided into four phases. Now it is a forest corridor that attracts tourists from the urban areas of Beijing.

Meanwhile, the government of Yanqing County has also employed forest rangers to protect the environment. In their fatigues and red safety helmets the rangers themselves have become an attraction.

Olympic Commitment

When Beijing won its bid for the 2008 Olympic Games, the city made a commitment of fulfilling seven greening targets. By the end of 2007, it had achieved all of them. Green cover in Beijing, in mountainous areas, and in urban areas has reached 51.6, 70.49 and 43 percent, respectively, all exceeding the targets of 50, 70 and 40 percent set out in the Olympic bid.