China is to spend 7.9 billion yuan (US$985 million) during the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-2010) on insuring forestry workers in natural forest protection zones, according to the State Forestry Administration.

Cao Qingyao, spokesman for the administration, said that the funds would cover health insurance, unemployment benefit, child benefit and work injuries.

Cao said 80 percent of the funds would come from the central government and 20 percent from local governments. Over 2 billion yuan were allocated in 2006 and the same amount will be spent in 2007 and 2008, while 666 million yuan will be spent in 2009 and 2010.

China called a halt to the lumbering of natural forest upstream of the Yangtze River and the middle and upper reaches of the Yellow River in 2000 and substantially reduced lumbering in northeast China and Inner Mongolia.

The protection policies resulted in many job losses; some workers were reemployed to protect the forest while others remained without work. The workers that were laid off are expected to receive 8,000 yuan each.

(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2007)