A team led by delegates from the Zhanjiang government commenced the planting of trees at the city's Sanling Mountain National Forest Park on March 1. Authorities hoped the event would attract more people to plant trees voluntarily, in the lead up to the National Arbor Day on March 12.

Around 1,200 people attended on the day, including representatives from the Nanhai Fleet of China's Navy, China's armed police in Zhanjiang and school students.

In excess of 8,000 trees were planted, including pear trees, queen's crape myrtle, schisandra chinensis and bischofia javanica.

Liu Xiaohua, Party secretary of the Zhanjiang government urged for an increased effort to raise the green coverage rate of the mountain and the city.

Zhanjiang Mayor Wang Zhongbing commented on the sky and water, what he called the ecological advantages of the city, and called for greater environmental protection. The government is sparing no efforts to develop the pristine ecological environment into a new name card of Zhanjiang, making the city a national model in terms of ecological environment construction.

Liu Xiaohua (M), Party secretary of the Zhanjiang government and Zhanjiang Mayor Wang Zhongbing (L) attend the tree-planting activity on March 1. [Photo/yinsha.com]

Liu Xiaohua helps a primary school student to water the tree at the Sanling Mountain National Park in Zhanjiang. [Photo/yinsha.com]