Chinese History and Statistics -- Page 23

Forestry and Fishing

In 1981, China grew about 9% of the world's softwoods and more than 6% of the hardwoods. More than 60% of China's timber comes from the Manchurian mountains, which have China's most extensive forest reserves. About 300 tree nurseries, which raise mainly Korean pine, Scots pine, and Manchurian ash, have been established. On the Khingan ranges, vast areas have been forested since 1953; forest belts were also built along the line of the Great Wall. Rapid industrialization and population growth, however, have created immense demand for timber. Large-scale destruction of forests has denuded huge mountain areas in northeast and southwest China, causing erosion and other environmental damage.

Although fishing is less developed than in neighboring Japan, China is one of the world's largest fish producers. Fish culture is growing in importance because of the construction of ponds and dams for flood control and for power plants. Marine fishing has also expanded, with most of the powered fleet base at Lushan, Qingdao, Hainan, and Shanghai.