Lhasa achieves over 10,000 hectares of afforestation in 2024

LHASA -- Lhasa, the capital of Southwest China's Xizang autonomous region, has completed 177,200 mu (about 11,813 hectares) of afforestation in the mountains to the north and south of the city, according to a municipal government work report unveiled on Sunday.

The work was part of the region's largest afforestation project, which began in 2021 and aims to create forests totaling 2.06 million mu over 10 years.

This year, the sapling survival rate has exceeded 92 percent in 38 afforestation areas, gaining widespread acclaim from national ministries and other authorities.

Lhasa has also completed the greening of over 1.33 million square meters of courtyards, and added over 1.8 million square meters of urban green space. The city's air quality excellence rate has remained at the forefront among key cities nationwide.

Xizang has made ecology a priority, deeming it one of the region's main government tasks. "We will push forward the afforestation project in 2025, with the goal of adding over 250,000 mu of new afforestation in the city," said Wang Qiang, mayor of Lhasa.