Forest built to enhance ecological protection

Liu Fengchun, director of the agricultural commission in Tianjin's Jinnan district, who campaigns annually for tree planting, is busier than usual this year.

This year's planting area, near the highway linking the city's downtown with Binhai New Area, is more than three times that of previous years, Liu told China Central Television, the State broadcaster.

The prime location in between is to be used for the initial phase of an environmental program, rather than for developing real estate.

It will take Tianjin three to five years to finish planting the 736-square-kilometer forest, which will serve as an environmentally protective shield and involve five districts, including Jinnan and Binhai. Observers say the move shows the Tianjin government's long-term vision and environmental resolution.

Liu Shirong, chief architect at the Tianjin Planning Bureau, told CCTV that the environmental corridor linking urban areas in the north and south will help optimize Tianjin's spatial patterns in its development.

Over the past five years, Tianjin has made marked progress in taming its pollution. Government data showed that the number of days with "standard" air quality increased from 145 in 2013 to 209 in 2017.

According to the city's ecological development plan, 87 percent of Jinnan is included in the environmental program, while 30 percent of the land in Binhai is earmarked to be used for environmental improvements.

"The planning is no burden at all," Wang Zhiyi, deputy head of the Jinnan government, told CCTV. "It provides key development opportunities and helps attract top professionals and high-quality investment projects."

The Beidagang wetland, the largest in Tianjin, is home to 1,333 hectares of fish ponds. To better preserve the ecosystem, the local authorities decided early this year to relocate the fish ponds from the wetland.

Beidagang is not only crucial for the city but also key to environmental protection in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, Sun Baonian, an official with the natural reserve's administrative committee, was quoted as saying by CCTV.

Dou Lianbin, deputy head of Binhai's forestry and ecology department, said that as the green coverage expands, less land is available for commercial use.

"In this situation, all we can do is improve efficiency and seek high-quality growth," Dou said.

Liu Shirong, the chief architect, said the environmental campaign has also put pressure on local businesses to increase innovation and helped put Tianjin on a path of high-quality development.

Tianjin is currently embracing an influx of high-tech businesses and eco-friendly industries.

The city's central area is focused on developing modern services, Jinnan is planning to increase high-end service offerings, and in Binhai a Sino-European industrial park for advanced manufacturing is in the pipeline.