It was reported that a symposium for 2014 China’s urban forest construction work was held in Zibo city, Shandong province on September 25, 2014. Chenzhou city was honored with “national forest city” by National Afforestation Environmental Protection Commission and the State Forestry Bureau. On behalf of Chenzhou Municipal Party Committee and Chenzhou City, Qu Hai- Deputy Secretary of Chenzhou Municipal Party Committee and Mayor of Chenzhou City got the board of “national forest city” from Zhao Shucong- Deputy Director of National Afforestation Environmental Protection Commission and Director of the State Forestry Bureau.

It was introduced that the selection of “national forest city” which was sponsored by National Afforestation Environmental Protection Commission and the State Forestry Bureau was launched in 2004. Guiyang city from Guizhou province was selected as the first national forest city in that year. Till the end of 2013, 58 cities from 28 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) have obtained the honor. Changsha city from Hunan province was honored as “national forest city” in 2006.

Chenzhou city tried all best to handled the establishment work since it started its plan of establishing to be “national forest city” in 2012. Till 2014, Chenzhou city’s forest coverage rate increased to 66% which was much higher than 57.8% after suffered from the ice disaster in 2008, and the forest growing stock was up to 48million cubic meters. Followed the 40 evaluation indexes of 5 categories for establishment of national forest city, Chenzhou city tried best to handle the work and meet all the standards well. Some indexes as forest coverage rate, roads greening rate and others were much higher than the standards. The publication of this symposium published a report entitled with “colleting power of establishment of national forest city, reappearing beauties of ‘Linyi’”to introduce Chenzhou city’s experience and measures to handle the establishment work.

Besides Chenzhou city, Zhuzhou city from Hunan province, Zibo city from Shandong province and other 13 cities were honored as “national forest city”.

Suxianling- Wanhuayan national scenic area was awarded as “national ecological civilization education base” by the State Forestry Bureau, the State Education Ministry, and the Central Committee of the Communist Young League.

Qu Hai delivered a speech “establishing national forest city, popularizing the brand of ‘city in the forest’” in the symposium. Qu stated that to establish the national forest city was not only a realistic choice to recover the forestry ecological environment, but also a strategic measure to promote the construction of ecological civilization; it was not only the objective demand to establish the special brand of the city, but the intrinsic requirement for the cultivation of urban ecological culture; it was not only the effective measure to upgrade the living condition of people, but also a good barrier to gather all people together. Chenzhou city would start from this new start as a national forest city to build beautiful China and compose Chenzhou city’s “Chinese dream”. Qu also expressed his warm greetings to all the attendants to visit Chenzhou city.

Big events for Chenzhou city’s establishment of national forest city

2012- “solution on establishing ‘national forest city’and promoting ‘forest Chenzhou’construction ” was issued by Chenzhou Municipal Party Committee and Chenzhou Government. It was specified on the solution that Chenzhou city would fight to establish as national forest city successfully in three years;

December, 2012- a leading group for the establishment of national forest city was established in Chenzhou city. Xiang Lili- Secretary of Chenzhou Municipal Party Committee was in charge as counselor and Qu Hai- Deputy Secretary of Chenzhou Municipal Party Committee and Mayor of Chenzhou City was in charge as team leader;

December, 2013- forest coverage rate was 65%;

June, 2014- the verification team for “national forest city”of the State Forestry Bureau visited Chenzhou city;

September 25, 2014, Chenzhou city established as “national forest city” successfully.